


Instinct: Alpha Courting 101

by ClutteredHeadspace



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, F/F, F/M, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Build, Underage Drinking, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-29
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-05-29 20:22:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 36,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6392068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClutteredHeadspace/pseuds/ClutteredHeadspace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an A/B/O AU things aren't as straight-forward as they seem. For Cana Alberona, she wishes there was an instruction manual for this shit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Scene 1: The itch

**Author's Note:**

> A.N. This is an offshoot for a larger work that is currently in progress. It's not your typical A/B/O world and I hope you enjoy the ride. This ship isn't perhaps the most common but it's a guilty pleasure of mine. Hopefully I can keep all the players as close to character as possible. 
> 
> Scene 1: ages  
> Laxus: 16  
> Mira & Erza: 13  
> Cana, Elfman & Gray: 12  
> Lisanna & Natsu: 11

 

     _In a land far, far away, lies the Kingdom of Fiore, a small peaceful nation of 17 million, and a place filled with magic! Found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace, for most, magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, magic is an art, and they have devoted their lives to its practice. These are the mages. Banded together into magical guilds they apply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore. But there is a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest, one from which countless legends have been born... a guide that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future. Its name... is Fairy Tail._

* * *

 

"What are you two doing?" The teenage girls enraged shriek echoed through the mostly empty guild hall. "They're on Team Erza you can't just play cards with them!" The dark wash of magic that rippled through the guild hall gave away who the speaker was even if their voice hadn't. At the bar Cana looked up from her deck and frowned over her shoulder where Mira was standing furiously beside the table where soft spoken Lisanna and Elfman had manged to rope the guilds two most rambunctious young members into a rather tame game of cards. Gray and Natsu, were shooting uneasy looks between Mira and each other as though waiting for one to give in first and make a break for safety. Lisanna simply looked up through her platinum blonde hair and gave her sister a wide smile.  

     "We need four people to play Kaiser big sister." she explained with wide-eyed sincerity. "And you were off training so I got Natsu and Gray to join us." Her tone was so sweet and matter of fact that from across the room Cana could see Mira struggling to hold onto her bluster.  

     "W-well still. They're on team Erza!" she protested and Elfman spoke up this time. The boy was Cana and Gray's age and already he towered over them in height and breadth. He had taken to hunching in an attempt to blend in, however with Natsu at the table the effect was slightly ruined. The pink haired child was overdue for a growth spurt, something that had only added fuel to the fights between he and Gray, and sitting beside even Lisanna he looked deceptively delicate. 

      "But it's Lisanna and I playing against them Mira." Elfman spoke carefully. The three Strauss siblings were new to the Fairy Tail Guild but despite some initial friction and the lingering animosity between Erza and Mira they had all began to settle in well. Personally Cana was relieved that there was someone else to help run herd on the manic fire-mage and Gray's hardheaded aggression. Tuning out the conversation Cana focused back on her cards frowning at her attempted divination that was only giving her nonsensical answers. She was still a novice card mage so she didn't expect her divination's to work all the time but today it was irritating her, as was the dull itching and tightness of her skin. Absently she scratched at her wrist, oblivious that her skin was already red and raw as she dragged her nails across it. The acrid scent of Wakaba's pipe smoke seared her nose and she sneezed, biting back a growl and the impulse to turn and snarl at the older mage with his ridiculous hair and sunglasses as she recklessly gathered the cards into a chaotic pile in front of her. 

     "Are you Ok Cana?" Natsu's sudden appearance at her side had the brunette jumping and growling at him in surprise.  

     "Of course I am. Why do you ask?" she snapped at him reflexively, managing to catch her tone back to it's usual disinterest for the query. Really she should be used to Natsu's unpredictable ninja approaches by now. He frowned at her curiously, lids dropping to partially shield olive eyes as they unfocused for a moment, his attention on something else.  

     "Cause you've been sneezing all morning. Also... you smell different." He told her the last part hesitantly as though confused by his own senses. Cana frowned at him then turned uneasily to eye the one card sitting uppermost on the disarrayed divination pattern. The Wheel gleamed back at her innocently. 

     "It's just allergies or something." She told him roughly scooping her deck into a more orderly stack as she turned to catch Laxus's attention for a drink.  

     "But, allergies don't make peoples scent change." Natsu told her stubbornly. The dragon-slayer's heightened scenes were still a bit of a mystery among the guild members though it had become a great source of gambling entertainment over the years.  

     "Maybe the guild changed the laundry soap again." she told him turning to press her nose to the shoulder of her dress curiously.  

     "No. Cause Gray still smells like lemons and he just got his clothes back from the laundry this morning." her persisted leaning in to get a better sniff and she pushed his head back roughly not appreciating the invasion of her personal space. 

     "What are you Brats going on about now?" Laxus grumbled in irritation as he set another ice-tea down on the bar for Cana. The cocky blonde teenager's usually standoffish tendencies had been curtailed somewhat by his forced duty as guild bartender since his grandfather had told him he needed to work of the cost of the collateral damage he'd done on his last job.  

     "Cana smells weird." Natsu blurted out then frowned and stared at Laxus for a moment. "Kinda the same way you do." He added after a considering pause. The addition drew Laxus's brows into a frown as the half sneer permanently on his face slipped away.     

     "What?" His voice was innocuous. Though Cana frowned at the way the older boy was staring at Natsu. Natsu didn't notice as he nodded and pointed at Cana.  

     "Her scent is different today," and he points at Laxus, "kinda like the way your scent is different from Macaos." Now Laxus turned his disturbingly intense focus on Cana who shifted back away from him instinctively.  

     "What? I'm sure Gray's just hit him one to many times over the head." she muttered then reached for her drink wanting something in her hands. Laxus's eyes dropped to her wrist then he smirked at her.  

     "Itchy?" He asked knowingly and she scowled as she sucked on her straw allowing the bitter-sweet lemonade burst over he tongue before she followed his gaze down to her wrist.  

     "Wha? When did that happen?" she muttered staring at the raw spot and then moving her arm so she could see a matching blemish on her other wrist as well. "L-Laxus..." she shuttered voice rising into a whine as she looked up at him anxiously.  

    "Relax you're not dying." he muttered cheeks flushing as his eyes darted away. "Go talk to the old man about it. I ain't dealing with presentation shit." he gestured to the stairs that led to the second floor and the guild-masters office. "Go. He's doing paper-work, sooner the better."

     "But... the Masters busy, he wouldn't want me bothering him." She stuttered taking a long pull from her drink while she studied the red scratch marks on her wrists. Now that she was looking at them she was aware of a maddening urge to scratch them, either with her nails or the bar top. Also she was feeling a touch feverish. Maybe she was sick, Laxus had said she wasn't dying but really, what did he know. Laxus had been like a distant older brother to her since she'd joined the guild four years ago. Keeping an eye on her but generally too busy and too cool to acknowledge her when anyone was around to see it. As she hesitated, lost in worries a heavy hand suddenly dropped on the top of her head and ruffled her hair. Sputtering she looked up through her now tumbling tangled bangs to see the scared teen giving her a familiar smirk. The smile was just shy of derisive but there was guarded affection in his eyes. Her nose twitched as she faintly noticed something like ozone and cool air drifting past her heating cheeks. 

      "Go talk to Gramps." He repeated and gave her head a gentle shove. Hesitating one last moment, her dark blue eyes following his retreating back, Cana repacked her cards and slipped them into the pouch at her waist reluctantly. 

     "Want me to go with you?" Natsu offered and she shook her head as she slipped off the stool. 

     "No. I'll be fine." As her feet touched the floor she steeled her spine, her father wouldn't have been scared to go and talk to Master Makarov. Even as she longed to hold onto Natsu's hand she rejected it by force of will. She could do this. "I mean, it's just the second floor." She tossed over her shoulder as though it was no big deal. As though the second floor wasn't so off limits to them that they weren't even sure what the layout of it was. As though they hadn't grown up to the sounds of growls and snarls of the s-class alphas drifting from the shadows behind the banister. Hesitantly climbing the stairs she tried to ignore the way her shoulders prickled at the weight of gazes she thought she could feel following her progress. Blue eyes scanned the shadows waiting ahead of her and she thought of the angry sounds that had drifted from them over the years. Yet somehow the familiar fear rolled off her, dismissed before it could settle in and leaving behind a wary weight in her stomach and a fullness in her chest. Like a kitten fluffing it's chest with a warning growl.

     When stepping onto the smooth planks of the second floor didn't result in an ambush she tried to relax her shoulders a bit and glanced around nervously. The floor was deserted though she spotted Laxus's favorite lounging area by the heavy coat tossed over the back of a couch and the headphones he'd been banned from wearing at the bar sitting beside it. Swallowing she took in the large open spaces and the scattered couches and chairs so different for the cozy crowded tables of the main guildhall. She took in a deep breath and sneezed again, something heavy with musk and smoke and spice irritating her lungs with every-breath. Starting to worry again that maybe Laxus was wrong and she was sick she began to hurry to the dark door with the embossed curving guild mark dominating the back wall in front of her. 

     "Come in." Makarov's voice answered cheerily from behind the heavy wooden door of his office at Cana's soft knock. Pushing it open she noticed the surprise in Makarov's eyes at her presence even as a welcoming smile grew on his face. "Ah Cana. Come in, come in. What can I do for you? Are the kids fighting again?" His eyes darted to the dim hallway behind her and his head tilted slightly as though checking for the answer himself even as Cana shook her head. 

     "No Master. Um, Laxus told me I should come up and talk to you." She answered nervously and the old Alpha glanced at her curiously and nodded. 

     "Laxus you say? Well close the door and take a seat." He motioned to the chair across the desk from him and she let the door swing shut under it's own weight ignoring how for the first time the back of her neck prickled at being alone with the guild-master. As she moved closer to his desk she noted the way the glass panes of the window behind him would rattle and the seething storm-clouds trapped behind the flimsy translucent barrier. Like an image on one of her cards she wished she could capture and cage its power as her own.

     "I'm not sure why though. Said it was something he wasn't going to deal with." She explained as she settled on the chair that had been indicated.

     "Hmmm." Makarov tilted his head, eyes dropping to half-mast as though in thought. 

     "Well that doesn't narrow the list much." He told her with a hint of amusement at his Grandson's attitude. "However," his eyes dropped to her wrist that she realized with a start was rubbing restlessly on the arm of the chair she sat in. "the way you're trying to scent mark my chair is making the reason pretty clear." Cana looked down at her wrist in surprise again feeling not for the first time since it had been pointed out to her that it was something foreign and separate from herself. 

     "What's going on? Why does it keep doing that!" She asked finally letting the fear and uncertainty envelop her as she looked up at the guild-master beseechingly. He'd been the central authority figure in her life since the moment that she'd come to the guild after her mother's death. Her own father unaware of her existence and little more than a fleeting presence even within his own guild, a passing dust devil leaving only turbulence in his wake.

     "You're presenting Cana." He told her gently, "do you know what that means?" She shook her head but his on calmness was steadying her quickly. He gave her a soft smile and stood up, stepping across his desk, his dwarfish stature making the movement seem natural rather than odd as he settled down to sit on the edge of his desk in front of her, his head barely higher than hers. "I guess I should have figured this would begin happening to you kids soon. Time passes so quickly with you children." he murmured more to himself. "You know what Alpha's and Omega's are right?" Cana nodded. 

     "Of course I do. Omegas are healers and Alphas protect the courts and the Omegas." That was common knowledge, Omegas were powerful mages but had a weak and fragile nature, unsuited to dangerous jobs or missions they needed to be protected and cared for. Alpha's were powerful, and brave, often fighting among themselves for dominance within their Court but well suited to take on dangerous jobs and support and protect the guilds.

     "That's the gist of it yes. Now you know that those designations aren't bound by gender right? Both males and females can be Alpha's or Omega's." Cana nodded. 

     "Mavis was a female Alpha right? I've heard it mentioned before." She watched Makarov's eyes twinkle from his craggy weathered face.

     "Exactly. Now when kids move into their teenage years some of them present as Alphas or Omegas. You're probably feeling a bit feverish and itchy right? Like you skin isn't fitting quite right?" Cana nodded.  

     "Yes. And... my chest feels really full." she added and Makarov smiled.  

     "Well you're definitely presenting as an Alpha than." he told her with a hint of pride in his voice. "The itch is your scent glands coming in. It's why you keep scratching your wrists on things, you're alpha instincts are starting to rise." Cana frowned down at her wrists where she was clasping her hands on her lap to keep them behaving. 

     "What do you mean instincts?" she asked curiously. 

     "There's not really a better word to explain in." he told her a bit apologetically. "It's different for everyone, and you'll understand what I mean after you've had your first Rut." 

     "Rut? But... I'm going to have a Rut?" her eyes went wide and she jerked back in alarm. "I don't wanna have sex!" she exclaimed and Makarov laughed.  

     "Rut's aren't about sex." he told her reassuringly, "Though I take that to assume that someone in the guild gave you kids the Talk?" he asked and she nodded her cheeks flaming in remembered embarrassment. 

     "Yes. A Maccao and the others were drinking and gathered us all up one afternoon." she watched as the guild-master bit his lip to keep from smirking at that.

     "Well at least it's been done. Back on topic though, ruts aren't about sex, it's your body's way of resetting your hormones. You'll get really cranky and irritable leading up to it. When it hits you'll spend a few days in your room and then it'll be done and you'll be an Alpha." Cana thought that seemed too simple but she wasn't sure she wanted to know more details than that. 

     "Have any of the others presented?" she asked and Makarov hesitated for a moment than shook his head. 

     "No you're the first to present here in the guild since Laxus I think." he informed her. "It's not surprising though, Girls tend to present sooner especially Alphas. You'd know, Alphas and Omegas have sharper senses than Betas, the people that don't present as either designation." Cana brightened a bit at that. 

     "So like Natsu then?" she asked and Makarov smiled. 

     "Exactly, though I'd hazard that Natsu's are on a level beyond even an Alphas ability." He told her cutting off her budding dreams of beating the dragon-slayer at his own game. 

     "Damn." she muttered than clapped her hands over her mouth and looked at the Guild-master apologetically. "Sorry Sir." she apologized quickly as he gave her a warning look.

     "I'll let that slide just this once. Anyway that's the basics. After your Rut they'll make more sense. In the mean-time," he hopped off the desk and pulled her out of the chair as he gave her a rough hug. "Let's go down and have a drink, since you're presenting I think it's time for you to try the good stuff." Her eyes prickled though she couldn't have said it it was because of the hug or the way something musky burned when she inhaled. 


	2. Change happens, new things begin.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time skip: 3yrs
> 
> "-Mira."  
>  "-No surprise really af-"  
>  "-things are gonna-"  
>  "I think an extended job-"  
>  "-agree... safer to be out of-"

  

Scene 2: 

Cana, Gray, Elfman: 15

Erza, Mira:16

Lisanna, Natsu:14

 

 

     "Spend a few days in your room my ass." Cana swore as she dragged her aching form toward the shower. Three years since her first Rut and she still felt like hell by the end of it. Her long auburn hair tumbled in tangles over her bare shoulders as she used the chill porcelain of the sink to pull herself upright. Staring back at her from the mirror was a leanly muscled  teenager just showing the beginnings of a woman's curves and she made a face at her wane complexion. "Old bastard didn't mention the whole bi-gender thing back then did he?" she grumbled and turned on the tap with a shaky hand and began to carelessly splash water on her face washing off the dried sweat she could feel crusting her skin.  "I swear Ruts wouldn't be this torturous with a fucking Knot." She turned off the water taking a moment to check that her legs would hold she moved towards the tiled shower stall in the corner of the bathroom and stepped in carefully. The yellow curtain with it's obnoxious teal flowers rattled as she jerked it closed behind her.  Twisting the knob she sighed at the first icy blast of cold water that hit her skin, chasing away the lingering fever that still boiled below her skin. The chill was heavenly after a week of sweats and fever dreams that even the coldest setting on her shower couldn't quench.

     She shifted so that she could still stand below the pounding water that was slowly warming closer to body temperature but was able to rest her temple against the cool tile of the wall. She didn't know how Erza managed to bounce out of her Ruts so quickly. The crimson haired requip mage always managed to stroll into the guild-hall with all the poise she had left it with after her Rut had ended. Cana wanted to hate her a little bit, knowing that both her and Lisanna crawled in looking like the living dead when their Ruts were through with them.  She sighed and closed her eyes to enjoy the feeling of the water cascading over her still sensitive skin. She'd heard that having a lover made Ruts easier but the downside of being a female alpha was that instinct to claim and knot a mate wasn't something that she had the equipment to satisfy. She felt the faint shift below her breastbone and she looked down at the offending swatch of smooth bronzed skin with a snarl. It hadn't taken very long for her to understand what Master Makarov had meant about Alpha instincts. 

     Instincts, a polite way of understating that one morning you would wake up with a separate personality sharing your skin. An identity that came with it's own instincts and drives but not the vocabulary to communicate them. She'd thought she was going to die or go mad in turns during her first rut. The fever dreams had been so vivid that it wasn't until days later she was able to begin sorting out what was real and what wasn't anymore.  What hadn't been real was the sensation of watchers surrounding her looking for a moment of weakness. What had been real was the blood smeared across her skin where her own nails had broken through in her struggles and scratching. The whispers and threats that had circled her hadn't been real, but when she looked in the mirror the faint purr that echoed through her thoughts had been. Even after three years she was still prone to fits of unpredictable behavior before her conscious mind could react to control it. When Macao had collected her the morning after her rut ended and brought her back to the guild Makarov had simply laughed when she'd growled at the alphas assembled waiting for her. The soundless voice in the back of her head snarling and snapping so loudly her sight had blurred and her hearing had dulled. 

     What came next had been brutal, but apparently expected. Makarov had stepped up in front of the assembled alpha's, not as guild master but as the ruling alpha of the Fairy Tail Alpha Court, and approached her.  Her new impulses had driven her to charge at him seeking blood before she'd been able to try and rein in her Alpha. However before her blind rush of an attack could land Makarov had thrown her to the ground by the throat and had pinned her just as easily. A low growl, a few whispered words that to this day she couldn't remember, and suddenly her limbs had been her own again. She'd laid there gasping and shaking, trying to sort though the conflicting sensations and scents that assaulted her. The familiar scent of 'home' that had always infused the guild hall was more complex than she'd ever noticed before. Ozone, smoke, spice, petrichor, ginger, and cinnamon all tangled with a dozen different variations of heavy musk that were both foreign and achingly familiar. That had been her introduction to life among the Court, the carefully structured hierarchy that alpha's lived within. Something that came to dominate her world so strongly she couldn't understand how she'd never been aware of it before. It dictated who could order who, where alpha's could sit and even with whom. She'd been lucky, since she'd been a child she'd had a lot of flexibility even for a newly presented alpha. The rest of the court had understood that there was a distinct learning curve to dealing with her new instincts and they were all indulgently patient with her while she worked out the difference between the body language to start a fight or a spar.

     The most frustrating thing was that for months after she presented her magic had been difficult and unpredictable. Spells she'd been able to do in her sleep suddenly backfired in new and creative ways, if they even worked in the first place. Her deck had felt dead in her hands and Laxus had spent unprecedented time and patience hunting her down after nightfall to sit with her in the dark and reassure her that it had happened to him too. Her fears had abated slightly when after her second rut she'd returned to the guild to learn that Erza had presented shortly after she'd secluded herself. When Macao had brought her fellow child mage back to the guild looking as wane and terrified as she figured she must have been some of the terror she'd been carrying drifted away. Comforted that she wouldn't be alone in this new world of rules and instincts that none of the other kids understood. Erza the bitch, she remembered affectionately, had taken to being an alpha smoother than she had though they'd both leaned on each other when new instincts were too hard to understand. When the fears that their magic would never settle back to what it had been before kept them up at night. 

     To everyone's surprise Lisanna had been the next to present, much to her sisters disgruntlement. The sweet spoken girl was about as un-alpha like as one could get. Even after her presentation she was content being the most submissive alpha in the court, yielding easily to her siblings and beta's alike. Cana couldn't understand that but appearances were deceiving as anyone who challenged people she considered hers quickly found out.  What she lacked in aggression and power she made up with in sheer stubborn tenaciousness and a well hidden vindictive streak. It wasn't uncommon for those who'd crossed her to learn months later how bad an idea that had been. It actually made the youngest guild-member all the more endearing to Cana actually. Her alpha instincts rumbling in approval when she saw her guild-mate's quiet satisfied smile. Elfman and Natsu had presented this year as alpha's as well. Natsu's behaviour hadn't changed at all after his presentation, he was still impulsive, hot-headed, and overconfident. Elfman had nearly had a personality transplant. He'd gone from a cautious, self-conscious teen, content to stand in his sisters shadows to one of the guilds most outspoken alpha's.

     To those outside of a guild it was considered an anomaly that so many of the young guild members would present at all. However it was actually a common occurrence in mage guilds. Typically young members were accepted because of an unusual level of skill or power for their age. Something that was a good indicator alpha or omega status, though it was impossible to predict that until they began to present or not. The growl of Cana's stomach echoing in the shower stall broke her out of her reverie. Ruts killed her appetite and after a week of damn near constant fasting her body was finally settling enough to protest the lack of calories that a magic user required on a daily basis. Smirking she reached for her shampoo, well, she could use a drink anyway. 

~   

      "Morning Cana. Welcome back." Natsu's cheery greeting broke over the baseline buzz of the busy guild-hall as Cana came through the front door. She glanced around until she spotted the walking fire hazard at a table on the left with Happy draped over his head and the other kids crowded around the table as well excitedly. She gave him a nod and a half-wave but stayed where she was a moment longer. The enhanced Alpha senses that Master Makarov had promised her were pretty much exactly as advertised but he hadn't warned her about how stimulating the world suddenly became. A couple years on she was better, could almost walk into the guild hall without having to consciously adjust to the sudden onslaught of sensation. The guild-hall was the worst, with the whole court crowded into one space everyone's scents were stacked on top of each other and the din which had been more like static when she was growing up was now constant bits and pieces of words and conversations. 

     "-Mira."

     "-No surprise really af-"

     "-things are gonna-"

     "I think an extended job-"

     "-agree... safer to be out of-"

     Cana frowned not able to place who the speakers were but obviously something major had happened while she'd been holed up. Waving to the server moving between the tables she waited till the curvaceous blonde nodded acknowledgement to the unspoken request before she wove her way towards the other youths. Natsu as practically vibrating with excitement and Lisanna and Elfman were grinning like fools, giddy happiness practically vibrating off of them. In contrast Gray was hanging out in the background watching them with his usual sharp eyed chill. Cana arched a brow as she settled down beside the ice-mage filling the space he'd left between himself and the young alphas. 

    "So what's the excitement?" she asked curiously focusing in on Natsu as the pink haired youth squirmed excitedly. Eyes flickering between Cana and Lisanna frantically while he bit his lip obviously trying to keep some sort of promise he'd made to the young transformation mage. For her part Lisanna simply bit one cheek with a impish grin as she watched his struggle before relenting with a giggle. 

    "Ok. Go ahead Natsu." The young alpha had barely finished giving him permission before he slammed his palms on the table excitedly.

    "Mira presented!" he declared sounding delighted about it. Cana raised a brow as she processed that. It wasn't surprising given her friends power and inherent magical talent. While technically alpha's and omega's could present anywhere between 12-19 years old, alpha's typically presented earlier while omega's were older. Uneasily she glanced around at the people at the table, Mirajane didn't have the personality for an omega but it was unusual for alpha's to present so late. Gray was the only one who seemed to catch her anxiety and catching her attention he gave a slight head-shake, lips twisted in a wry smile. Cana felt her shoulders relax and returned her attention to Natsu's vibrating form, she never understood why she trusted the Beta's judgment whenever anyone in their circle of friends presented but he'd always proved eerily accurate. If he wasn't worried about the possibility of Mira being an Omega she wouldn't either. 

     "That's awesome!" She agreed eyes drifting behind him as the server approached with a tray of drinks. "Let's drink to it!" The card mage declared flashing a winning smile at the blonde who leaned with practiced ease over the table and dispersed the mugs, shooting Cana a knowing little look as she lifted her chin slightly and reached a bit more than necessary to place her drink in front of her. Cana felt her cheeks heat as her smile suddenly went easier as the other girl winked than stood up and rested her tray on one hip. Whatever she was about to say was interupted as a call came over from another table and instead she flashed them all a smile and turned away. Cana felt herself shifting back to watch her go behind Gray's back.

     "Down girl." he tugged her hair lightly with a teasing smile. "You sure you're Rut's over?" he asked elbowing her playfully and she stuck her tongue out at him even as she quickly brought her mug up to hide her embaressment.

     "Shut-up Gray." she muttered as the others laughed.

     "Yeah, she's just got the whole satiated Alpha thing going on." Natsu joked leaning further over the table and waggling his brows. 

     "What's that supposed to mean Pinkie?" she demanded and his grin was a flash of teeth. Her alpha roused but settled again with a stretch, not sensing a challenge to respond to.

     "You smell like lazy morning sex." he declared and she threw back her head and laughed.

     "What? How would you even know what that smells like?" she asked just to watch him blush and his eyes dart away. Alpha or not the boy was still adorably innocent when called on it.

     "It's a thing. Everyone smells sort of like that after their Rut." he defended and she chuckled as Lisanna leaned into him with a faint consoling purr. It worked to distract him and Cana hid a smile as he leaned back against her. The dynamic between the two young alpha's hadn't changed much after they'd both presented, it still flirted the line between friendship and something more. It was adorable even as she heard older alphas in the guild murmur about it when they weren't around.

     "Creepy as ever ash face." Gray said drolly, those who didn't know him would think it wasn't anything more than friendly banter. Cana knew better than to trust the Beta's unassuming body language though. His eyes were focused on his mug but there was just enough frost behind the bland nerves that she could identify the dig. Natsu definetly sensed it as he sat up away from Lisanna and focused hot eyes on Gray.

     "What did you say Popsicle stand?" As always the fire mage didn't understand subtlety.

     "I-" Gray began raising his eyes from his drink.

     "Enough!" Cana growled bringing her arm down on the table and leaning forward to interrupt the eye contact between them before it could even be properly established. "We're going to celebrate our friends presentation in true fairy-tail fashion and there will be no fighting until I've broken my Rut fast. Kapish?" she ordered focusing on Natsu until he shifted his weight back slightly and Lisanna tugged him back firmly into his seat and smiled brightly at Cana. At her side Gray simply dropped his eyes to his drink, lips quirked smugly, she could just faintly catch the sharp smell that she usually associated with his amusement, however Natsu's low growl indicated that to the Dragon-Slayer's enhanced senses it wasn't nearly as subtle. "Gray..." this time her growl was directed at him. He sighed and stood up.

     "Alright, alright. I'll go get you something to eat." he told her. She supposed his leaving the table was the closest she was going to get him to conceding to Natsu's alpha. Beta's like Gray weren't bound by the Court rules, though they often learned them just to better manage the alpha's around them. To beta's body language and behavior didn't carry the same weight as it did to the alpha's whose entire world revolved around knowing who answered to whom. She found them both a relief to hang around with on a personal level and a hassle when it came to moderating her court.  Cana smirked as she turned back to her drink satisfied that things were settled again for the moment. She did consider this small group to be her court, neither Lisanna nor Elfman had been able to dominate her Alpha and Natsu didn't care to try for the spot. She wondered what would happen now with Mira's presentation, obviously her siblings would answer her first and foremost. It was understandable and wouldn't be surprising. Even after they'd presented they'd both still yielded to her as though she'd already been their court alpha. Cana understood it even as she felt her alpha shift unhappily. Like all alpha's Cana was at her most settled when she was among the court, however she liked bing in charge a bit too much to feel settled if she didn't have at least a couple of individuals answering to her. Officially Natsu was actually in Erza's court, however with the recently christened S-class mage often gone on solo missions he was content to spend his time with Cana. Gray was a beta and while he didn't officially count he was satisfied to let Cana boss him around with the easy amusement of an old friend, though if Erza turned on him he'd yield to her as quickly as his rival so Cana's alpha was never sure whose court he was actually in either. 

     "That's a long face for someone whose supposed to be celebrating." The masculine purr in her ear made Cana jump and turn to snarl at the alpha who'd snuck up on her. Loke flashed her a playful smile and his eyes crinkled charmingly behind the lenses of his tinted glasses. Rolling her eyes Cana shook her head and used a palm to push him back out of her space as she turned her back on him. 

     "I told you to stop it with that Loke." she growled at him. She heard him chuckle than huffed as he eased himself down to sit between her and Elfman forcing both of them to shift to make room for him. Their irritated growls rolled off him like water on a duck and he sighed contently bringing his mug to his lips. 

     "My apologies Alpha." he told her demurely, canting his head to the side slightly, a faint barring of his neck appeasing her irritation. "So, what are we celebrating?" he asked brightly and Lisanna smiled widely at him. 

     "Our big sister is presenting!" She informed him excitedly. Elfman nodded smug pride dripping off his scent. 

     "Having her first Rut right now." He added and Loke gave a low whistle of appreciation. 

     "Well that is definitely something worth celebrating." He agreed raising his mug and waiting a pause until everyone else joined him. "To the new Alpha, may she be fierce, may she be proud." It sounded like a toast that had rolled off his lips many times. Cana knocked mugs with everyone and wondered where the strange lone alpha had come from as she took a long pull of the bitter brew. As the rest of the table settled into excited chatter and started swapping stories of their first ruts Cana found her mood lightening. She already knew all the embarrassing secrets of Lisanna's first rut. Though she couldn't control her laughter as Elfman revealed that it had been Mira who'd opened the door to his room and thrown a bottle of lube at him on the third day because he'd apparently been 'whining because his hand hadn't been enough'. 

     "I dunno I'd say that's a completely understandable problem." Loke commiserated and Cana had elbowed him playfully. 

     "Had similar issues have you?" she asked and he'd smirked into his drink as he brought it to his lips. 

     "Not in my first Rut but it's happened over the years. I, had an Omega 'break me in' as it were when my first Rut occurred." his words were smug and all the alpha's at the table gapped at him in awe. 

     "No way really?" Natsu asked genuinely curious. "I don't think I've even met many Omegas." he muttered thinking it over. Cana propped her chin on her hand and sighed jealously. 

     "Rub it in why don't you." She muttered and Loke ruffled her hair with a half-smile. "Sorry that was rude for you ladies." Lisanna made a noise of agreement. "You know there's a spell that you girls can use right?" he pointed out. Cana just growled while Lisanna muttered. 

     "Not until you're 16." she grumbled "They won't sell the prosthetic to anyone under 16 and they're custom enchanted to the user. 'One Knot, One Alpha'." Even Lisanna's ever gentle voice edged a growl at the bitter quote. 

     "Exactly. And they're stupid expensive too. I've been saving for one for two years already and I'm barely halfway to affording one." Cana bitched her eyes going dark.

     "What are you girls talking about?" Natsu asked curiously. Cana looked up at him with a frown. 

     "Knot prosthetics. You know, because females alpha's don't have the right... equipment." The fire mage frowned at that in confusion. Loke smirked as he watched him struggle to understand the idea. 

     "It's sort of like a magic strap on dildo." he offered in cruder terms and they watched as Natsu's face went redder than his hair at that and he jerked back hard enough that he fell off the bench. Elfman chuckled as Lisanna turned with a laugh to look Natsu's fallen form beside her.

     "Get up Natsu. A real Alpha isn't embarrassed to talk about Knots." he declared and Cana chuckled into her drink at the large man's boasting.

     "Well if all things are proportional than I suppose Elfman doesn't have much to be embarrassed about." Cana said absently and Loke threw back his head with a laugh at that. 

     "More to a Knot than size." he told her waggling his brows. "It's about how you use it." Beside him Elfman scoffed. 

     "Omega's will take any Knot." Loke arched a skeptically at that declaration.

     "I dunno. I've met Omega's mated to female Alpha who've been quite satisfied without a Knot at all." This time Elfman scoffed though he quailed slightly at the dual glares he received from Cana and his sister. Loke gave the group a lazy grin. "From what I understand it takes more than just a one act pony to keep an Omega satisfied." he waggled his fingers suggestively at the others. Cana blushed and bit her lower lip as she caught herself scanning the hall for the blonde server again. She didn't see her but she did spy Gray's lean form coming back to the table with a heaping plate of wings and fries. She swallowed thickly, mouth watering as her stomach rumbled again at the promise of food.

     "Pft. I've heard Omega's can't even come without a Knot." Elfman argued but Cana tuned him out as she reached greedily for the plate Gray was holding out for her now.

     "Greedy little Alpha." The ice-mage teased but wisely didn't get between the hungry alpha and her meal. "What are we talking about?" he asked looking between the empty seat across from Cana and beside Natsu or the crowded edge of the bench where his seat had been. 

     "Knots." Loke told the Beta with a smile, eyes brightening as Natsu dragged himself off the floor and back onto the bench. 

     "Oh goodie. So I didn't miss anything." Gray's dry tone had everyone at the table chuckling as he moved to sit across from Cana, gingerly keeping distance between himself and Natsu. 

     "Gray did you know that there's such a thing as prosthetic Knots?" Natsu demanded turning on the dark haired boy and Gray snorted and gave his rival a smug smirk. 

     "Of course there is. Imagine going through your Rut without one." he pointed out and Natsu's face paled at the idea. 

     "Oh god." he muttered and chugged the rest of his drink. 

     "Joys of being bi-gender I guess." Gray shrugged and gave a sympathetic smile to the female alpha's at the table. Lisanna sighed and dropped her head on Natsu's shoulder.

     "I sucks so much. I mean, besides the whole Rut thing there's all the stigma about us. I've had inns refuse to let me stay in them because they thought I'd be 'unruly'." she air quoted that and all the alphas at the table snickered. Lisanna was literally one of the last alpha's that would cause any sort of trouble. In fact she was considered one of the best mages for the guild for jobs that actually required subtly and people skills. "And I mean, on top of that the odds that I can have children of my own is pretty low. Ruts terminate a pregnancy alot of the time." This time there as actual sorrow in Lisanna's voice and Natzu brought his arm up around her shoulders protectively. 

     "Never mind dating." Cana added waving a wing at them to try and lighten up the mood a bit. "That's just a whole new set of problems." She rolled her eyes and bit into the sauce covered wing. Loke chuckled. 

     "Again I come back to my earlier 'magic hands' statement." he flashed a grin as Gray chuckled. "See Gray gets it. Alpha's get caught up on the whole Knot thing but him." he gestured with his mug. "He gets it." Gray smirked and took a drink from his recovered mug.

     "Personally I find is more a, silver tongue thing." he responded dryly and Loke threw back his head with a hoot of laughter. Natsu was looking at Gray out of the corner of his eyes as the other alpha's laughed. 

     "Pft. He's a beta what would he know about Omega's though." Elfman cut in and this time Gray's smirk went sharp. 

     "I've only ever hooked up with Omega's." Elfman sputtered at that. 

     "What! What can you offer?" He demanded and Gray's eyebrow rose emphatically as he let the silence hang for a moment. 

     "What can I offer?" he repeated, his voice quiet and Cana sat up warily. They were drifting onto unsteady ground now. "That's a pretty long list. Alpha." the word dripped from his lips like bitter poison. "Let's start with respect. Because from what I've seen over the years they don't get a hell of a lot of it from anybody else. Point in fact, this conversation. Next there's fun, there's no pressure to Mate, no fear that I'll 'bite them in the moment' or whatever excuse is being used this week. Most importantly they like the attention. They like that a lover is taking the time to make them happy rather then just knotting up and thinking the job's done-"

     "Gray." Cana managed to time her warning during a pause for breath and it cut through the rising tension sharply. He jerked and sucked in a breath, visibly drawing back and trying to reign himself in. 

     "Sorry." he muttered though she knew the words were for show only. This was a touchy subject for him, he had a lot of passion for the issue and she respected him for that. 

     "It's ok. But like I said, no fighting till I'm done eating." 

     "Technically you said not until you'd broken your fast. You've already done that." Natsu jumped in and Cana shot him a warning look. "What I'm just saying..."

     "So. Bets on Mira's rank in the court anyone?" Loke asked wisely changing the subject which Cana sent him a thankful look for and recieved a wink in response.

~

     "It's a nice Court you've got there." Loke purred sliding with cat-like grace onto the barstool beside Cana. The brunette snorted as she looked over at him then glanced over her shoulder where Natsu and Gray were sprawled against the shards and splinters of what had once been a table, to exhausted to move but still shooting insults back and forth. The rest of the guild had simply shifted tables and resumed their earlier activities. Makarov was settled on the second floor banister with a mug and rosey cheeks looking nothing like the monster that had beat the two into submission for disturbing the court.

     "Never dull anyway." she answered turning back to the mead she'd switched over to a couple of hours ago. Loke chuckled beside her and flagged down the bar-tender for a fresh ale.

     "There is that. One of the reasons I came looking to join Fairy Tail actually. I'd heard a lot about the guild." Cana chuckled and shifted to angle herself towards Loke with a smile. The ginger-haired alpha smelled sort of like midnight dew though she wasn't sure how that made sense since most alpha scents were lower, towards more of a musk.

     "Really? Have we lived up to your expectations?" she asked and he flashed her a grin.

     "Entirely actually." He tilted his head to the side slightly and looked down at his drink. "You never did answer though, what had you looking so serious earlier." Cana hesitated then shrugged and scanned the crowd around them.

     "Well, I guess I've been the unofficial alpha of our little court for three years now. Erza's always off on solo jobs so unless she's around I'm kind of in charge of them." Loke's lips quirked and she paused to let him speak.

     "That's a hell of a court to run herd on with only three years as an alpha." he told her and she shrugged the praise off.

     "Like I said it's been mostly unofficial. Though now with Mira having presented, that's sort of the end of it. Lisanna and Elfman will follow her which just leaves Natsu and Gray and they're not really 'mine' per say. They definitely respect Erza's authority more than mine at least." Loke nodded and looked down at his drink. 

     "I get that. It's hard to lose your court." he murmured and Cana looked at him curiously. There had been too much empathy in that, she'd always considered Loke to be a fairly low level Alpha but she wondered if she'd been wrong about that. He took a long pull of his drink and cleared his throat, obviously building up to something. "Have you thought of making an official court?" He asked her and blinked in surprise at the question and swirled her drink as she thought about it. 

     "Why do you ask?" He looked up at her with a wry smile. 

     "Stability. Alpha's like to know who they answer to. I mean we all answer to Master Makarov, but he doesn't have the time to micro manage everyone. Laxus should be doing it but he and his alphas are gone more than they're here. Same with Erza and the rest of the S-class mages." he offered her a shrug. "I know I'm new but I know courts, and like you said, the Straus' will form they're own unit within the guild. That won't help settle the Court." Cana frowned, unsettled that the new comer had put into words the thought that had been niggling her for months.

     "What are you suggesting?" Loke held her eyes and when the challenge drew on he finally glanced away. 

     "May I join your Court Alpha?" he asked looking back up at her this time through his lashes. Cana paused as she felt her alpha stutter in surprise at that then settle into a pleased purr. Obviously her alpha was on board with the idea but, did she want to make an official Court? She thought about the sea of faces around her, she'd grown up with most of them, would they even want to follow her? Loke was right though... the Master needed another alpha that was present more often to help stabilize the court. 

     "I'd be honored, Alpha." she told him reaching over to run her fingers through his hair and he made a rumbly satisfied sound in response turning into the touch. Obviously the older alpha needed  contact that his playboy flings couldn't answer. Well she could work with that. "However this means you'll have to teach me the secret of those 'magic hands' you were bragging about." He cracked one eye open and smirked confidently. 

     "It be an honor Alpha." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly had different plans for this chapter than Loke showed up and a week of writers block disappeared and another 3000+ words happened. *opps*  
> I hope that the world building being shoe-horned in here doesn't feel too awkward.   
> As always feedback and a heads up about character OOCness is welcome.


	3. Scene 3: Foundations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cana's court begins to take form.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scene 2:  
> Cana, Gray, Elfman: 15  
> Erza, Mira:16  
> Lisanna, Natsu:14  
> Laxus: 19

The guild hall was buzzing, the surprising number of guild members in between jobs filled the space with heat and a dull roar of noise. Loke grinned to himself and shrugged deeper into his fur collared vest relaxing into the comfort of the thick ruff against his vulnerable neck. The serving girls bustled around inoffensive beta scents cutting what would have been an overwhelming wall of alpha musk. He enjoyed the bustle and noise of fairy tail, it cut the dullness of the months he'd spent journeying alone and the crush of alpha's all in one place was reminiscent of his home. Distracted by his own thoughts he didn't see his teenaged alpha approach until she threw herself into the booth beside him.

"I give up." Cana declared dropping her chin on her arms, lips pursed in a frustrated pout and cheeks flushed with mottled red. Loke jerked reflexively and blinked in surprise looking down at her for a moment before tilting his head in confusion. Her scent was frustrated and jumpy but smelled sweetly of home with his official welcome into her young court.

"Rough day?" He asked spreading a warm long fingered hand between her shoulder-blades. The brunette sighed and shook her head where it rested on arms, relaxing under the contact before speaking. 

"I don't get it." she confessed sitting up and reaching back to grip Loke's wrist and draw it away from her back, flashing him a warm smile before settled back crossing her arms over her chest. "She's really nice, funny, sweet..." she trailed off and Loke shifted to watch her sipping his drink. 

"Omega?" he asked and watched as the girl threw her arms up in frustration, short orange crop top coat flaring with the motion. 

"Omega." she agreed with a mutter. "I like her but she smells..." she scrunched up her nose searching for the right word and the ginger-haired mage smirked. 

"Homey, sweet, comfrotable-"

"Boring." Cana interrupted shooting him a look and he blinked at that and tilted his head in puzzlement. Around them the guild continued to bustle on, Erza's low growl rumbling under the noise while she struggled to bring Grey and Natzu to heel. 

"Boring?" Loke took a pull of his drink as he rolled the word around his tongue with consideration. "That's a new one." The girl sighed and tugged her hair tie loose letting her hair tumble around her shoulders. It was a habit he'd noticed she'd developed since agreeing to start an official court. Whenever she was in the guild her hair was kept deliberately free. He scratched his scruff and sucked air in through his teeth. "What makes an Omega boring?" He asked curiously. Cana shrugged and flagged down one of the servers for a drink. 

"It's hard to explain. I mean, I'm an Alpha I'm supposed to want to be all up in an Omega's business." she muttered putting her deck on the table and drumming her fingers on it absently. "Right?" she asked looking over at him. Loke shrugged in response. 

"That's the mold." he agreed, "But not everyone is oversexed like that." He pointed out to her. "You're only 15 babe." Cana's eyes flashed at the endearment and he flushed and dropped his eyes back to the table-top swiftly, kicking himself. "Sorry Alpha." he mumbled. He forcibly kept his eyes on the table as she huffed and reached over to tug reproachfully on one of his earrings. 

"We made it a few minuets before you slipped up this time at least." she teased sitting back and flashing a smile at the server arriving with her drink. "Laxus! What a surprise, I didn't know you were back in town already." The blonde snorted as he dropped her drink roughly on the table.

"Job didn't take as long as we'd expected. What are you doing bitching to this loser?" The tall blonde questioned, eyes narrowing on the other alpha dangerously. Loke brought his eyes up and gave the blonde alpha a warning growl.

"He's in my Court." Cana interrupted them setting one hand on Loke's shoulder and fixing a calm stare at Laxus. Loke instantly went silent and shifted into a deliberately relaxed position though he continued to watch the other man suspiciously. 

"Your court?" Laxus scoffed and Cana gave a low instinctive snarl, her shoulders drawing back. 

"Yes. None of you S-Class Alpha's are around enough to help stabilize the Court for the Master." It was a statement of fact though Laxus's eyes narrowed as thought she'd reprimanded him. 

"Tch. And how many do you have following you so far?" His tone was dismissive and Cana shifted uncomfortably for a moment. 

"It's just the two of us so far." She muttered dropping her eyes and Laxus snorted. 

"Not quite." Loke spoke up defensively, "Rufus and a few of the others are too." Cana blinked and looked over at him in surprise. Loke shrugged, his eyes dancing away from hers as he adjusted the nose piece of his glasses. "I may have been in a few scuffles since I joined." Cana stared at him for a moment than threw back her head with a laugh. 

"You didn't tell me you were bringing a Court with you idiot." she grinned catching him in a headlock to noogie him while he struggled half-heartedly. 

"Well I figured I'd mention it once you warmed up to the whole Court idea more." He defended finally struggling free, his lips twitching without an ounce of repentance in his voice. Laxus snorted at that and shook his head. 

"Watch this one Cana. It's dangerous to have a second who thinks he runs the show." he warned her and she tilted her head and flashed him a smile. 

"You're one to talk. Last I heard Freed was eyeing Bixslow's spot for himself." Laxus sighed at that. 

"Stupid dominance games. Freed's been playing Bixslow like a damn fiddle for years, idiot just hasn't realized it until now." Loke grinned in amusement. 

"Never a dull day in an all Alpha Court." he agreed and Laxus shook his head with a long suffering expression. 

"Never asked for it, those idiots just sort of latched on and haven't let go since." He grumbled and Cana chuckled and tilted her head to the side so her hair slid across her shoulders. 

"Isn't that how Courts form for the most part though?" she asked curiously. "I mean, Erza's the only one I know who's actually gone and hunted down members for her Court." As she spoke she felt the floor of the guild hall shake and glanced through the crowd to see Erza standing over Gray and Natzu's crumpled forms. Laxus glanced up at well with a smirk. 

"I don't try and understand the Titannia." He responded with a shrug. "Not like anyone else would take on those idiots of hers." Cana bristled and shoved him lightly. Not that it even budged the larger Alpha. 

"Hey. They're morons but they're still guild Laxus." she warned and he rolled his eyes. 

"Pft. Whatever. I've got to get back to work. The Old Man is still pissy about the Lockspur job." he turned and walked away with a careless salute of his fingers. Cana watched him go with a fond quirk to her lips. Loke smirked into his drink. 

"I think that's the first time he's ever spoken to me." He mused bouncing Cana out of her thoughts to look over at him. 

"I'm not really surprised. Laxus has always been a bit anti-social." She told him easily, reaching for her mug and taking a long pull. "Actually he's kind of an asshole but he does care underneath it all." Loke's lips quirked at that. 

"It's not really surprising. Most Alpha-king's are." Cana blinked and turned to look at him curiously. 

"Is Alpha-king like, saying the head Alpha in a Court?" she asked curiously and Loke blinked and shook his head. 

"Um, not really. It's an old term, I don't know what the modern equivalant is. It means Alpha's that are attracted to other Alpha's." Cana frowned and tilted her head.  
"That's a thing? Sort of like being a Lesbian?" her voice was careful, interest layered thick over it as she shifted closer to Loke. The other mage nodded noteing the light in her eyes; 'so young' he thought. Not the first time feeling a bit guilty pushing her into a leadership role because of his own guilty needs. 

"Kind of, Gay and Lesbian have to do with sexuality, you know, being attracted to someone of the same sex as you. King and Queen were terms used to account for attraction between Alpha's or Omega's. Queen is the bi-gender equivalent of a King." Cana stared at him, the way Loke explained a concept she'd never heard of before made it sound so simple and straight forward. Like it was something as normal as mating. She shook her head and leaned back, not sure how to process the idea.

"So... Two female Omega's would be, Kings?" She asked curiously and Loke nodded as he casually continued to drink. 

"That's the idea. Two female Alpha's on the other hand would both be Queen's." he explained and she frowned at that. 

"What about a male and female Alpha?" she asked and Loke smirked at her. 

"King and Queen respectively." Cana stared at him and pushed a hand through her hair.

"Why haven't I heard of this?" She asked curiously and Loke shrugged.

"I dunno, it seems like it's something that's sort of tabboo in Fiore. I mean, maybe not as bad for Queen's since they're not you know, removing reproductive mates from the gene pool. King's though are supposed to be breeding y'know?" Cana pursed her lips at that took a pull of her drink and glanced around the guild hall. Eyes dropping to half-mast as she scanned the familiar faces and corners. 

"I hate that." she muttered. "Makes me feel like a second class citizen just because I don't have a knot. Everyone has more to offer than genetics." she sighed watching as Levy caught her eye from the table where Jet and Droy crowded around her. The petite Omega was a recent addition to the guild though she fit in so seamlessly it was like she'd always been there. It had caused a big upheaval in the guild when the Master had granted her entry. She was one of the first Omega's that the current membership could remember being in the ranks and she suspected it was because of her that most of the S-class had been instructed to return. On Levy's part she seemed content to let the Alpha's work themselves into a fit and ignore them. Jet and Droy had latched onto her and spent most of their time trying to figure out which of them would be the one who got to court her. Levy herself seemed oblivious to their antics, and despite some initial shyness was one of the sweetest members in the guild. 

"It's a shitty system." Loke agreed and shifted on his seat. "Eying Levy for something?" He asked curiously and Cana shrugged, eyes narrowing as Jet and Droy continued to push into the girls space. She felt a faint shift in her chest, taking a deep inhale she could scent it, something faintly sweet and dusty that made her think of lemonade and old books. That was the Omega, however there was something else swirling around her, two scents that were beginning to bristle with more than friendly aggression. 

"Those two are getting out of hand." She told him rising. "Watch my drink." she ordered weaving through the tables towards the trio as the two alpha's began to size each other up. Levy simply picked up her tea-cup as they jostled the table and rolled her eyes as she tried to read, apparently unaware that her delicate form was about to get caught up in a Alpha scuffle. "Take it outside boys." she growled as she drew nearer. The two Alpha's turned to snarl at her simultaneously, both too caught up in their competition for the Omega to see past the haze of red drifting over their eyes. 

"Back off Alpha, this doesn't involve you." Droy snarled while Jet echoed the sentiment with a growl of his own. Cana's eyes narrowed on them and she drew her shoulders back. While she didn't have the mass of the two alpha's in front of her she inherited enough from her father to meet their challenge eye to eye.

"I think it does. You two are disturbing my Court with this little show." she felt the alpha in her mind shift stretching in lazy anticipation, she suspected that its lazy smile was bleeding through her thoughts and onto her lips. Jet growled, his ridicules hat ruining his attempt at intimidation.

"Just because Loke decided to go belly-up for you like a bitch in heat doesn't mean you have a Court Cana." Obviously the shorter of the two males wasn't quite as far gone as he had first seemed. Cana smirked at them, hoping that the alpha's cool anticipation bled through the expression. Sure she may only have been 15 but she'd been nominated for the S-class trials already, and despite losing out to Mira's viciousness she was confident in her own power. She'd told Laxus she was going to pick up the slack that the S-class alpha's had left behind and she was going to start acting like it. Levy glanced up as they spoke frowning at the three alpha's in puzzlement, head tilting to the side and nose twitching slightly.

"Think so?" she asked curiously holding their gazes boldly, this time it was Droy that spoke up. It was bizarre how these two could play a single conversation between them.

"A Bi-gender bitch can't hold her ow-" He didn't get the finish the thought as Cana's upper-cut connected with his jaw and snapped his head back harshly. The snarl she released registered in their ears as she rounded on Jet with a round-house that sent him stumbling to the left.

"Come again boys?" she asked calmly, her alpha silent and smug in her thoughts. Perhaps she wasn't Erza, capable of holding a room in submission by sheer presence, and she wasn't Mirajane either whose alpha bubbled constantly at the surface. Cana's alpha was quieter, by the time you spotted her it was usually too late but that didn't mean she was weak.

"Bitch." Jet spat, blood dripping from his mouth likely from a split cheek while Droy was blinking in a daze and moving to sit up. Cana arched a brow at his expectantly, it was an action she'd seen Makarov use on upstart alpha's her entire like and she was surprised how natural it felt on her own features. "You're gonna pay for that." He lunged at her and she dodged out of the way, a twist and shift of her stance and she grasped his arm and turned him into a neat flip that slammed him down onto Droy's still stunned form. 

"I don't have time for your pissing match. Take it outside and cool out. If you're back in this hall before nightfall we'll continue this discussion, understood?" She held the two under a hard stare and watched as they shifted and squirmed before Jet finally dropped his eyes and grabbed Droy's still stunned arm and heaved him to his feet. 

"This isn't over." he snarled at her as the two of them leaned on each other and began to stagger to the entrance. Cana snorted at that as she watched them depart, not taking her eyes off their back till the doors swung shut behind them before drawing in a deep breath and letting it out with a sigh. 

"What was that all about?" Levy asked curiously looking up at her from the bench. Cana glanced at her with a frown, meeting curious innocent brown eyes. 

"Couldn't you smell it? Those two were damn near about to start challenging each other over you." Levy frowned and looked down at her book as she adjusted her glasses. Her scent shifted, and Cana's nose twitched like she was about to sneeze. 

"Oh. I noticed something was going on but I didn't realize... over me?" she asked as though the idea was completely foreign to her. "Stupid Alpha's." she muttered in quiet frustration. Cana chuckled at that and dropped a hand onto her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. 

"That they are, they need someone to beat some sense into their heads." Levy turned to flash a smile at her eyes dancing with amusement. 

"You don't have to sound so pleased Cana." The solid script mage closed her book and traced a finger over the cover absently. "So... is there a way to get them to, well, calm down?" The omega asked looking up at her. "I'm still not really used to how everything works out here, things are different in the colony." The alpha studied her for a moment and considered it. 

"Alpha's need structure that probably isn't any different here then back where you grew up." Levy shook her head and reached up to adjust her headband. 

"How things are structured is different in the colony. There's different laws, different rules then out here." she sounded frustrated with that. "It's like the damn stone-age here. I mean, did you know I can't even rent my own apartment? It's archaic." 

"Really? I mean. I guess it's for your own safety or something but you're a guild mage, shouldn't you be exempt or something?" Levy shrugged at that and shook her head so Cana continued. "That's stupid. Anyway speaking of stupid, those two need someone more direct to answer too in the day to day court than just Master Makarov." Levy nodded at that her eyes focused and serious. 

"Sort of like how the Thunder Tribe follows Laxus?" she asked curiously, Cana wasn't surprised that was the example that came up. Laxus and his court were one of the guilds more infamous and long standing divisions. 

"Exactly." She agreed and Levy drummed her fingers over the book cover thoughtfully. 

"Well than," she flashed Cana a blinding smile. "In that case team shadow-gear would like to join your court Cana." The alpha took half a step back in surprise. 

"You know that's not really how it works Levy." She began but was cut off by the Omega's cheeky grin. 

"Maybe not, but you just kicked their butts and I've decided to join you. They're just gonna have to deal with it." At the younger girls smug expression Cana couldn't help but laugh. 

"Alright. Come on than, Loke and I could use the company." She yielded offering the girl a hand up, surprised by the strength with which the blue-haired girl gripped it and the quiet steel in the gaze that held hers. 

"Thank-you Alpha." Cana's alpha purred at that, pleased with the Omega's strength, grinning Cana draped an arm over her shoulders and tucked her against her side. The motion was possessive but the omega was soft and pliant against her. If the alpha swaggered a bit more than usual back to her table where Loke watched here with bright prideful eyes Cana ignored it. The pressure of the other alpha's eyes though, and the sharp flare of challenge that suddenly sprouted across the guild made the hair on the back of her neck prickle and her inner alpha rouse into a rare steady alertness.

"Loki, you know Levy right?" Cana asked as Levy flashed the Alpha a smile and settled onto the bench across the table from him, allowing Cana to return to her spot at his side. The alpha grinned and adjusted his tinted glasses in a casual greeting.

"By name at least. It's a pleasure to have the chance to meet you properly darling." he purred easily only to have Cana elbow him warningly while Levy watched the exchange with a giggle.

"Behave Alpha. Levy's part of the court now so keep it in your pants." Loki gave an exaggerated moue and Levy reached over to pat his free hand consolingly.

"There there Loki. I'm sure the," she tilted her head a moment then smirked, "four lovers I can smell on you are enough for you right now." Cana shifted to stare at him in surprise while Loki smiled with something between shock and awe at the younger girl.

"Impressive, I always forget how talented an Omega's nose can be." he told her and she flushed and looked back down at her book.

"Sorry. I'm still, adjusting, to things. Stuff like that is common in the Colony but I forget you Alpha's out here aren't as familiar with Omegas." 

"Wait, can we back this up a bit. Seriously Loki, four lovers?" Cana demanded and he flashed her a smirk.

"I'm a greedy man, ladies are like chips, you can't have just one." he teased and she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Oh god. You're gonna cause so much drama around here aren't you?" Levy giggled drawing their attention back to her like a magnet, her scent curling around them teasingly with pleased amusement.

"It's ok. None of them are mages, all beta girls far as I can scent."

"No. Shania's an Omega." he objected and Levy shook her head.

"Artificial pheromones. Can't you scent them? They're so stale they have to come out of a can." Loki frowned at that.

"Dammit. I hate designation liars." he grumbled and Cana shook her head and flagged Laxus down for another round. 

"I need more alcohol for this." she muttered to herself.

Hours later Cana hummed to herself as she stumbled out of the clatter and noise of the guild-hall. The sun was set and the moon was high overhead casting everything in sweet silvered light. She hadn't planned to spend the whole day at the guild but Levy and Loki had turned out to be fascinating company and she'd been unable to convince her alpha to leave them. Her damn instincts were so pleased with the foundation of their court that all she could do was drink and bask in their presence. Finally after Levy had headed off to Fairy Hills for some quiet time and Loki had departed for a date of some sort she'd been freed of her duty and able to leave. The alcohol had been pleasant and she felt a bit of a warm buzz in her blood but nothing particularly impairing as she walked confidently into the dark.

"So you're serious about this Court thing?" The low baritone coming from the stark shadows outside the guild had Cana nearly jumping out of her skin as she pressed a hand to her heart, her nose letting her in on the speakers identity before her ears matched the familiar tones to a name. 

"Dammit Laxus don't do that." she grumbled at him, stepping into the shadows with him so her eyes could adjust and swatting at his arm. "Jerk." The large blonde alpha smirked but otherwise didn't react to the hit. 

"Just answer the question Brat." she rolled her eyes and cocked a hip to the side. 

"Of course I am. I told you that earlier. With all of you gone someone needs to help stabilize the guild." 

"Erza's around." He responded and she shook her head at the unspoken suggestion. 

"Not enough. She's a good bogeyman to keep Natzu and Gray mostly under control but someone still needs to be there day to day." Cana casually twisted her curls up into a messy ponytail as she spoke. "And before you suggest it Mirajane won't do it. She's busy with her siblings and her jobs. Besides the Beta's don't like having to deal with her too much." Laxus frowned at that, his scar faintly brighter then the surrounding skin in the moonlight. 

"Why's that?" he asked and Cana raised one brow at him.

"Seriously? Laxus unless you've got an Alpha's sense of smell most of the guild can't predict what her mood is like. Besides she's a wreck every-time she breaks up with one of her girlfriends." That made Laxus laugh. 

"Where does she keep finding those female Omegas of hers anyway?" he mused and Cana shrugged. 

"I have no idea, I didn't even know we had that many in Magnolia." Laxus chuckled and ruffled her hair mussing her ponytail even worse. 

"What? Aren't you the little Lesbian casanova yourself?" he asked as she swatted his arm away. 

"Shut-up. I am definitely not." She frowned and bit her lip considering for a moment then shrugged and rubbed one hand up and down her arm. "I'm thinking I'm maybe something else." she admitted and he tilted his head to the side to watch her. Cana wondered what her scent was revealing to him, to her nose he was still ozone and rain, maybe a touch of curiosity.

"Oh? Tired of chasing skirts?" He asked and she shrugged. 

"Omega skirts anyway." she admitted. "I'm thinking it's maybe not the gender that I like as much as the designation." when silence was the only thing to reach her she looked up in search of his face hesitantly. Noting the way his scent spiked with ozone for a moment. 

"That's a rough path to walk." He said roughly after too long a pause. 

"I know but... ugh. Omega's are so boring!" she muttered and found her lips curving as he laughed in agreement. 

"They can be. You seemed to be getting cozy with Levy though." he pointed out and she shook her head. 

"She's not your typical Omega so it doesn't count. Besides it's obvious she's playing for the wrong team."

"So you're saying I should make a play then?" he asked and Cana back-handed him in the stomach, noting the lack of give in his abs as she did so. Interesting. 

"No. Bad Alpha." she growled. "Leave my Court alone. I only just got Jet and Droy to start to settle down. Don't you dare rile them up again."

"You're gonna have to learn to deal with that you know. If you're serious about the Court thing." Cana frowned at him, a faint snap of irritation in her voice. 

"Why do you keep harping on that? Do you think I can't handle a Court?" She demanded and he shifted at the accusation. "Jerk. You don't get to make that call Laxus." 

"I'm in town for the rest of the week. Train with me." Cana blinked, the abrupt words sending her anger sputtering to a stop. 

"What?"

"You heard me. I saw you with those two morons in the guild. You're not bad but if you're serious about this thing then you need to improve your skills." 

"You want to help me? Laxus I don't think lighting and card-magic are the same thing at all." she pointed out and he made an irritated noise. 

"You don't hold a court in line with magic idiot." he told her through clenched teeth. "A strong Alpha holds that in reserve. You need to have the hand to hand skills if you want to maintain their respect. Alpha's that rely on magic are seen as weak, if you can respond to challenges without it you'll stand a better chance of holding your title." 

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." she muttered 

"Shut up. I'm trying to help." At the defensive tone of his words she softened and shifted to lean her shoulder against his arm. She kind of liked the heat that he gave off in the cool night air.

"I know, just giving you a hard time. When do we start?"


	4. Scene 4: Brotherly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fight. Drink. Flirt? That's how this courting thing works maybe?

"Ready for this little girl?" Laxus's taunt had Cana tossing her head, hair swinging free as she did her best to look down her nose at the taller teen.

"Fuck you. Think you can keep up with this little girl?" she taunted with a smirk as she stepped into the clearing, eyes lighting up in anticipation as his ozone tinged scent mingled in the air with the crisp early morning chill. He chuckled and pulled off his ever present head-phones tossing them carelessly over to where he'd already piled his regular long sleeved shirt. Cana's eyes drifted over the play of muscle in the casual gesture as she pulled her hair back into a high tight ponytail to keep it out of her face.

"Watch that mouth of yours Brat." he warned and Cana's eyes crinkled in the corners as she tossed her coat aside, trying to match the thoughtless confidence that the older alpha had used.

"Guess you'll have to make me." she invited linking her fingers and pushing them forward in a stretch, glad she'd opted for just a tank-top and leggings as she studied Laxus's white threadbare undershirt and loose torn workout pants. The blonde flashed her a toothy grin, eyes sharpening for a moment, scent suddenly snapping with faint electricity with each inhale.

"It'll be a pleasure." He rolled out his shoulders and gave a lazy full body stretch as he watched her movements. It was off-putting having the larger alpha's intense focus on her like that. Her instinct was to stare him down even as her alpha seemed to squirm under it. Alpha to alpha she knew that she didn't stand a chance against him, Laxus had made S-class for a reason that had nothing to do with his Grandfather being the Guildmaster. "Now, enough talking." Just like that he dove at her and Cana dodged just in time to avoid the punch he lead with.

"Such a gentleman Laxus." she taunted as she regained her balance and swung a kick at his back feeling the jolt all the way to her teeth as he shifted and caught it in both hands stopping it dead.

"Not much of a lady yourself Cana." he shot back as he twisted her leg forcing her to roll with it. As the ground rushed towards her snapped her foot out at him trying to force him to let her go and drive him back. She wasn't going to bother to try and defend her title as a Lady. Hell she was a Fairy Tail mage, ladies didn't last long in ranks like that. Laxus hissed as her boot caught one of his hands and he let her go to step back and shake the sharp pain out his fingers. Rolling back to her feet she turned to watch him, adrenaline running high.

"You going to fight or talk Alpha?" she demanded going into the offensive this time. He chuckled as they fell into a steady rhythm of blows, blocks and counter-hits.

"Bit of training and you'll manage to do both too." He told her, Cana flashed her teeth at him but was too busy trying to hold her ground as he took back the upper hand. She lasted a few more minuets before she felt his hand wrap around her wrist and the world spun.

Gasping she stared up at the sky trying to get her spasming lungs working again as Laxus leaned forward over her with a sharp edged smile. His blonde hair was mussed and the alpha in his eyes was barely roused, simply flickers of gold in otherwise blue eyes. Giving an irritated growl she flashed her teeth at him and brought her knees up as fast as she could, forcing him to roll aside to avoid the hit. She rolled protectively onto her stomach watching him as she rose onto her hands and knees. The older teen simply sat on his ass and watched, laughter softening the lines on his face though he valiantly kept the sound from escaping.

"Not bad. You've definitely got some potential but you're thinking too much. You need to trust your alpha when it comes to Court squabbles. She's still better then you at reading a situation."

"What makes you think you know my Alpha you jerk?" she demanded lunging at him and swearing as he caught her arms and let her charge somersault them until he was over her again with her wrists pinned above her head.

"Because you fell for that." he gloated and she flushed realizing that he was right, her alpha was cuffing in disgust at her.

"Fine." She grumbled, the amusement tinging the ozone in her nose was what allowed her to finally relax with a huff. "So teach me, Alpha." Meeting his gaze boldly she noted how his eyes widened at that and the telltale flicker of gold.

"Brat." he muttered and released her so they could get back to their feet. "That's the whole damn point of this." Cana grinned at his back and got back up as well feeling her slumberous alpha finally flex and stretch, the divider between them thinning slightly as she shook out her hands and tried to resettle her balance.

He didn't go easy on her.

As she nursed a beer and held an ice pack to her shoulder Cana wasn't sure if she was perturbed or proud of that fact. After a full day of brutal training she still wasn't anywhere near Laxus' level of hand to hand combat; however glancing over to where he held a matching ice pack over what was turning into a spectacular black eye made her feel better about it. Maccao laughed as he set another round of beer in front of the two of them. 

"Are you two sure you were just training?" he asked and Cana rolled her eyes at him. 

"Yes. I'd be pulp if we'd been fighting for real." she muttered and Laxus chuckled at that. 

"You held your own pretty well, maybe tomorrow you'll get more than a lucky hit in on me." she growled at him and jabbed an elbow into his ribs, alpha rumbling satisfaction as he winced and jerked away.

"You sure it was only one hit?" she asked innocently when he turned to glare at her.

"You've got a long way to go before you can hold down a Court kid." She watched his throat bob as the blond took a long pull of his drink.

"I hold down my Court just fine." she shot back and he gave her a unimpressed look. She squirmed a bit under the heavy weight of his gaze than huffed a breath and turned forward again and focused on her drink. "Shut up."

"Your Court right now consists of Levy, whose an Omega and doesn't count, Jet and Droy who pretty much follow her around like puppies and Loki whose apparently got some sort of rag tag following that is only yours by association." He sounded smug and she couldn't muffle the offended growl in her chest though she chased it with almost half of her fresh beer.

"Like yours is better." she shot back shifting to rest one elbow on the bar and crossing her legs to glare at him. He smirked and took at drink as well.

"I've got mine under control." Cana tilted her head and looked up at him innocently through her bangs.

"You mean Freed does." She purred and he snarled at that his glass slamming down on the bar.

"Do you have something to say?" Drink forgotten Laxus loomed over her but Cana simply tilted her head with a smile. It wasn't a matter of if Laxus could take her down, but whether she'd go quietly. That knowledge centered her and she took a calm pull from her beer.

"Just that we both have very competent second in commands." She held his gaze with a bold confidence that she hoped the pulse fluttering below her skin didn't betray. Gold fluttered through his eyes and she wondered if hers had changed as well, two alpha's staring each other down. It was a game of chicken the likes of which she'd never played before, however she could still feel the tender pulse of every hit and throw from this afternoon across her skin and her smile went a bit indulgent.

"Tch." He settled back with a huff. "You're always a brat. Here I was being nice and helping you out too." She smiled and leaned over to drop her head on his shoulder.

"Aw. I appreciate it too Alpha." this time his sigh sounded put upon. She bit her lip for a moment and played with the condensation on her mug leaving her head against Laxus' shoulder. The heat he put off was soothing but the distinctly 'alpha' phermones that tickled in the back of her throat with each inhale was a different allure, fueling a twist of curiosity in to stomach. "Laxus?"

"What?" his voice was gruff, the vibration of it almost palpable in the muscles of his shoulder.

"Are you a King?" she asked. Loke had said he was, and when she'd confessed she was interested in Alpha's last night he'd seemed, too knowledgeable. He tensed beside her and she found herself releasing a reflexive rumble of reassurance in her chest. The silence hanging between them was charged before he finally spoke.

"That's an old term, but yeah." She let her lips curve despite the secret softness of the confession.

"So if I get drunk and make out with you you're not gonna punch me right?" He laughed at that.

"Nah. You've got a pretty good rack, I'd let it slide." she tilted her head up to look at him to find that his head was turned to watch her. Her smile was bright and forward.

"Awesome. Buy me another drink." The blonde laughed and shook his head even as he raised his other arm to signal for another round.

"That's your pheromones talking Cana. Adrenaline just makes an Alpha horny." She laughed and sat up to punch him in the shoulder.

"In that case who the hell is Natsu fucking?" she asked and grinned as Laxus choked on his drink.

"Oh gods... I don't wanna think about that." He winced. "Explains the constant challenges though, the little virgin is probably so wound up and frustrated he doesn't have any other way to deal with it." Cana laughed and finished her drink and reached for the latest one. 

"That just sounds like a vicious cycle." 

"Probably." he agreed and Cana tilted her head to smile at him. 

"So... Laxus, can I ask you another favour?" he snorted and looked down at her. 

"I dunno, I'm almost out of favours brat." She grinned, unphased by the implication for all his standoffishness the alpha was mostly bluffing when he said things like that. 

"How does this King and Queen thing work?" this time when he choked on his drink she laughed at him outright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lull in posting. Trying to survive finals sort of sapped my creative spark. Started back working on this series again and I love it. However Cana has definitely said "fuck it" to the plot I had scripted so even I'm not really sure how this is going to work out now. We'll get to CanaXMira but it's gonna be more about the growing pains now I think.
> 
> P.S. I really suck at spelling. If you find anything or some really awkward grammar let me know so I can fix it. I don't have a Beta ATM. Enjoy!
> 
> P.P.S Oh god so much dialogue... is it too much?


	5. Scene 5: Liquid Courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first step is the hardest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scene 5:  
> Cana, Gray, Elfman: 15  
> Erza, Mira:16  
> Lisanna, Natsu:14  
> Laxus: 19

 It didn't take her as many drinks as Cana had expected before she found herself cornering Laxus back against the bar. She'd gotten off her stool to face him down after a few too many digs about her fighting ability and he'd turned to rest his elbows on the bartop still straddling the stool. His grin was bight with rare enjoyment as she poked him in the chest.

   "Lay off big boy or I'll tell Freed on you." she warned and his eyes crinkled with amusement.

  "Oh I'm so scared. What's he going to do to me?" he mocked and she smirked leaning into him, still having to tilt her head up slightly despite him being seated. The guild hall was crowded with the usual evening chaos and the constant press of the dozens of other members pressed around the two of them. This close though she had no trouble picking out his relaxed ozone and petrichor scent,with an under tone of happy contented alpha. It was pleasant but she wanted more of that storm scent she remembered from their training session back.

   "Probably not this." she moved fast, running on impulse and adrenaline to capture his lips before he'd even finished frowning in confusion at her words. For a moment he was stiff against her, it gave her a chance to consider the foreign scratch of stubble around his lips. The moment drew out before he tilted his head, a heavy hand, larger than she was familiar with tangling in the hair at the nape of her neck as he bit her lower lip. She gasped and let her head tilt back, the faint pain and heat sending gooseflesh down her back. She curled a hand in his hair in response and tugged forcing his head to the side for a better angle against her lips. He growled at her, the sound a rumble so distinctly alpha it made her light headed. Nipping his lip she drew back to study him, noting the uneven weight of his breathing and the gold in his eyes. Cana smiled and leaned forward again giving him a quick kiss to watch his eyes haze slightly. He took a moment to swallow then shook his head.

 "Yeah you're right. He probably won't do that." She laughed and leaned into him, this time snagging his drink off the counter behind him and tipping it to her lips.

 "He's missing out." She told him glancing around, satisfied that most of the guild was busy with their own matters and ignoring the two young alpha's. She raised the glass again when Laxus' warm hand curled over her's stopping the motion.

"Cana..." there was enough weight to the way he said her name that she looked up at him again catching his eyes seeing something there that she recognized, want and hesitance buried in uneasy caution. Her blood heated in ways that had nothing to do with the alcohol and she smirked flicking her tongue over her lips to catch the faint flavor of pheromones he'd left behind.

"Grab a bottle and let's go for a walk, Laxus." He blinked and frowned at her, eyes flashing in irritation.

"I'm not one of your courtiers Cana-" she cut him off with a finger to his lips. 

"I want an escort home Laxus." she stressed the destination and waited for the recognition in his eyes. "You wouldn't let little o' me to walk home in the dark alone would you? What would the guild think, letting a court-mate walk home when she's 'drunk'." she sent him a lazy smile. She'd been drinking for years already and she was confident that she was still comfortably in control of herself. Hell she'd done jobs on a higher buzz than this.

"That would be rude of me wouldn't it?" He mused grip loosening on the glass so she took advantage and tilted it up to empty it. Nearly choking when she realized his gaze had locked onto the bared expanse of her throat with the motion.

Clearing her throat she felt a faint ripple of nerves as she reached by him to set the glass on the bartop. Was she actually going to do this? Laxus had always been there for her, somewhere safe she could retreat to even if his presence had been begrudging. Would this change that? Nibbling on her lower lip she canted her head to look up at him as he stole a growler of beer from under the counter blindly. The move was so smooth and practiced it made her burst into a delighted smile. Laxus was just a little bit bad, she'd be lying if she said she hadn't been curious about that in the past, the fact that he was an alpha had never bothered her fantasies.

"Rude never stopped you before." she teased clutching a fistful of his shirt to pull him up off the bar stool and towards the side door of the guild. His grin was just a flash of teeth as he followed after her neither paying attention to the small handful of individuals watching their exit.

~

"Are you usually this brazen?" Laxus asked from behind her as she tried to focus on her hand to keep the key from shaking as she slipped it into the lock on her flat. His larger form behind her blocked out the yellow street light that usually illuminated the rough hewn wooden door of her cramped apartment. She laughed as she slipped the key into the lock and turned it. The click should have been soft, barely audible however with the way the warm scent of alpha musk swirled between them she thought it might be a bit too loud.

 "Are you?" She teased glancing over her shoulder where he was backlit by the street light. His response was to duck his head and scent along the side of her neck, stubble scraping along tender skin. 

 "I don't take people home to my place, I have roommates." she laughed and let her head tip to give him better access as she pushed the door open in invitation. 

"Why do you think I moved out of the Hills?" she asked spinning deftly to catch a handful of his shirt in her hand and flash a smile as she led him backwards into the darkness of her home. 

"I thought it had something to do with their no alcohol in the dorms policy. The no men rule wouldn't have been a problem for you." He followed her tug catching the door with his heel to swing it shut behind him. Smirking she leaned in and scented along his neck with a pleased rumble rising from her chest. 

"Not til tonight anyway." She snapped her fingers and the enchanted lamps scattered around the room burst into a soft golden glow. "Grab a seat I'll get us some glasses." she stepped back from him and kicked off her shoes carelessly as she went. Her flat wasn't large, a living room and tiny galley kitchen took up most of the space. Two doors framed the kitchen one leading to the bedroom behind it and the other to the cramped bathroom. 

"Nice place." Laxus commented with not nearly as much sarcasm as Cana had expected as she pulled two glasses from one of the upper cabinets. When she turned back he was settled in a comfortable sprawl over her single couch looking relaxed with his feet up on the coffee table as he glanced around. Cana smirked at the big toe that poked out of the hole on his right foot, it's motion giving away that he wasn't as comfortable as he looked. 

 "It gets the job done for now. I like heights and larger places more then two stories up are hard to find." She walked back over and settled onto the couch shoving his knee out of the way so she could have at least one of the three cushions to herself. "Beer me." She ordered passing him both glasses, delighted at the way his eyes narrowed and glimmered gold for a second.

 "You're a bossy little alpha." He muttered even as he complied and cracked the seal on the growler to pour two generous glasses. She smirked and kicked her feet out to cross her ankles over his comfortably.

 "What can I say I'm learning from the best." She teased with an exaggerated flutter of her lashes at him as he passed her a drink. He snorted at that and took a pull from his beer but she still caught the curve to his lips as he did so. 

"That mouth of yours is going to get you into trouble." He told her resting his cheek against his chilled beer, subtly icing his bruise. She grinned and toasted him before taking a drink from her glass.

"Oh damn, you grabbed the good stuff." she stared at her glass with new appreciation glancing up to catch his pleased smirk. "Show-off." He shrugged.

 "Instincts. A proper Alpha needs to show their intent with a gift." there was a hint of colour dusting his cheeks that she knew couldn't just be from the beer.

 "Well this Alpha appreciates your good taste." she rubbed the top of her foot against the sole of his and settled into the couch more comfortably, smile widening at the way he couldn't suppress the spike of alpha satisfaction in his scent. "So, Laxus, how does this thing work?"

 "This thing?" He asked following her lead and draping one arm out across the back of the couch comfortably. She smirked, knowing a subtle alpha power play when she saw one.

 "Yes this, King and Queen thing." She explained taking a drink even as she shoved his arm off her couch and replaced it with her own. Smiling innocently when he scowled at her actions.

 "I, um," he focused on the bubbles rising in his drink. She tilted her head curiously.

 "You don't know either?" This time the blonde couldn't hide his blush and he dropped his head back on the couch with a sigh.

 "I know flings." He clarified, "I don't, I mean, I haven't done the rest of it." She shifted closer to him so she could draw her fingers through his hair. Her alpha offering tactile comfort as his scent soured faintly.

 "So we'll both experiment with it then. I mean, if that's what you want." When he cracked one eye open to look at her it was gold and she squirmed. "I don't want to just be a notch on your belt Laxus, if that's what you're thinking you know where the door is." he chuckled and she felt her face start to heat but before she could do more then take a deep breath to tell him off he caught the hand that was in his hair and pressed a kiss to the palm before putting it back.

 "Experimenting sounds... good." He agreed. 

 "Less scary to figure it out together right?" she told him with a smile, fingers absently tangling and playing with his hair like pulling spun gold between her fingers. "I mean there's whole books on how you're supposed to court Omega's." He snorted at that. 

 "Those are crocks anyway. We both know the whole courting thing is mostly Alpha instinct anyways." She chuckled and took a pull from her beer. 

 "Tried it yourself have you?" She asked curiously and watched him shudder faintly. 

 "No I-" he huffed. "I've had a few Omega's try and pursue me so I paged through a book once. It only had one decent bit of advice." Cana tilted her head curiously. 

 "What was it?" she asked as he drained his drink and set the glass on the coffee table.

 "That in any courting situation you should follow your nose. If it doesn't smell right don't do it." He shifted leaning into her space. "I know what I smell, how about you?" he asked his proximity was casting her into shadow and she swallowed for a moment then tilted her glass back to drain it dropping it to the floor beside the couch carelessly. His breath smelled like beer but the petrichor was turning stormy in his scent and she smiled as she hooked an arm around his neck. 

 "Smells good to me. But you're stuck above the waist mister." 

 She tasted the laughter of his response on her tongue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled and struggled with this chapter, went through drafts and writers block and in the end... I had simply been moving too fast and skimming over what this scene actually needed to be. Lets see if the wait was worth it.


	6. Scene 6: Life goes on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eventually Cana has to come up for air and remember there are other people in the guild then just Laxus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scene 6:  
> Cana, Gray, Elfman: 15  
> Erza, Mira:16  
> Lisanna, Natsu:14  
> Laxus: 19

 

"Good morning Loki." Cana called out cheerfully ducking her head to press a teasing kiss to his temple as she settled down on the bench beside him with her breakfast. The ginger alpha simply chuckled at that and turned his head once she was settled to return the gesture.

 "Morning Alpha. Not abandoning me for an early morning training session today?" He teased and she shook her head as she poured herself a coffee from the urn on the table.

 "Laxus and his team headed out for a job at dawn. Which is good cause I have way too many bruises right now." she complained and Loki snorted and ruffled her hair.

 "Worth it though?" He asked her curiously and she smirked at him over the rim of her cup and let her shoulder bump against his.

 "Worth alot of things." she purred and he paused for a moment than laughed and refilled his tea-cup.

 "Ah so that's what you two were actually up to. I was wondering how you were still walking if you'd really been spending everyday this week training with him." Cana flushed at the dig than fluttered her eyes innocently.

 "Of course we were training Loki. Get your filthy mind out of the gutter."

 "It's hard to do that when it's so at home there Alpha." he responded, smooth and unrepentant. Cana simply laughed and started in on her breakfast gaze drifting over the scattered breakfast crowd that was settled in pockets around the guild.

 Natsu was sitting at the bar with Happy excitedly discussing their plans for the day with the little cat. Lisanna leaned on an elbow beside him watching the pair with a fond smile, snowy hair falling across her forehead. Macao sat with Wakaba drawing lazily on a cigarette while the smoke mage struggled to get his pipe lit. There were others grouped around tables and coffee urns, the mages stuck on breakfast duty weaving their way from group to group with fresh coffee and hot water or clearing dirty plates and cutlery. Master Makarov had nearly given up trying to keep regular support staff now, most couldn't handle the rowdy guild for more than a month or two.

 "So thinking of taking a job anytime lazy bones?" She asked Loke turning her attention back to the lanky male. His smile was all teeth, and his scent was sharp alpha amusement wrapped in cool midnight.

 "Soon as you've got a bit more of the court foundation laid down." He responded eyes raising over her shoulder at the sound of the guild doors opening. "We're off to a good start though." he said affectionately. Cana studied him and tilted her head slightly letting her eyes unfocus for a moment as she tried to sort a scent from the sudden rush of fresh air. Something like roses pressed in a dusty novel reached her and Cana's lips quirked. Levy had obviously entered which meant if Jet and Dory weren't with her they'd be on their way shortly.

 "Morning Alpha." a pair of warm narrow arms wrapped around Cana's neck, as Levy tucked her nose below Cana's ear in greeting. Cana laughed softly and let her head fall against the other girls for a moment, tilting her face to catch the tangled scents of Levy's shampoo and natural pheromones.

 "Morning Omega. Going to join us?" She asked as the blue haired girl drew back to smile at Loke in greeting.

 "I will, just want to dish up a plate from the kitchen. Jet and Droy should be here shortly and those two are a hazard before they've had coffee." Levy told them with a bright smile Loke chuckled into his own coffee.

 "I remeber that job we did in Dawn City. Those two shouldn't be allowed in public without a safety warning before they've had coffee." Levy's laugh was infectious and good natured.

 "Tell me about it. I'll be right back, can't risk them wanting to carry my tray." she confided before leaving them behind. Cana raised her mug to her lips to hide her smirk as she tracked the Omega's progress. Blue eyes scanning the alpha's she passed with enough weight that a few of them flicked wary glances at her. When Loke chuckled beside her she glanced over curiously.

 "Training with Laxus has been good for you. You're alpha's starting to wake up." he answered her unspoken question without looking up from adding copious amounts of brown sugar to a bowl of porriage.

 "Loke, I presented years ago." She pointed out and the older alpha shook his head.

 "Presenting isn't the same as awakening. There's alot of alpha's who go their whole lives without properly waking up." he glanced up at her with a fond smile. His head carefully canted so that his eyes were slightly lower than hers, sublte body language that Cana was beginning to realise Loke was more aware of then most alpha's.

 "I don't understand." she prompted with a frown. Subtly Loke motioned with his chin towards Levy. "Levy pointed it out to me. Your scent has changed since you began forming your court. Training with Laxus has sped it up. You're alpha isn't quite as sluggish as she used to be right?" Cana paused to think about that even as she felt the subtle pressure in her chest, the stretching sensation as her seemed to shift and resettle into her skin.

"How many alpha's are watching you, right... now." Loke pressed.

 "What? How am I supposed to know-" Cana's objection was cut off as the answer was suddenly there. "twelve, thirteen counting you." she blinked in confusion. "How do I know that?" Loke's grin was amused.

 "Like I said, your alpha's waking up." She frowned at him but realizing that the bastard was playing enigmatic she huffed and took a pull from her coffee.

 "Helpful as always." she muttered earning her a flash of his charming grin.

 "I try." She rolled her eyes and studied the rest of the guild absently. The guild door opened and the bite of winter on the summer breeze gave way Gray's entrance behind her even if the way Natsu's head snapped up hadn't been an obvious give away. She narrowed her gaze on Natsu not trusting the way his eyes brightened as he tracked Gray's approach. It took him a long moment but finally sensing her gaze his eyes darted to her. She wasn't sure what he saw but after a moment he blinked and dropped his gaze back to his breakfast and Happy.

 "Never thought I'd be greatful for alpha games." Gray sounded exhausted as he dropped onto the bench across from Loke and pillowed his head on his folded arms.

 "Something going on Gray?" Cana asked with concern reaching over to touch his hand comfortingly but not surprised when he jerked it away just before contact and hid it away under his sleeves.

 "Nah, just got back from a job, didn't sleep well on the night train." he explained voice slightly muffled.

 "Ooch that sucks." Loke murmured looking like he wanted to reach out to the Beta but knowing it wouldn't be welcome. Gray had never adjusted well to the increased physical contact when his friends had presented as Alpha's.

 "Well feel free to relax for a bit, I'll keep Natsu from bothering you." Cana offered and the dark haired teen nodded.

 "It's a deal." he murmured letting out a sigh and shifting to press deeper into his arms. Cana frowned at him and glanced up at Loke who simply shrugged as a smile was playing on the edge of his lips.

 "Was the pay at least worth your sleep?" Loke asked and the ice mage snorted. 

  "It'll keep my landlord happy for a couple of months." he muttered as Levy returned to the table. 

 "Morning Gray." She greeted settling beside him across from Cana. Gray tilted his head so he could study her over his crossed arms his expression unreadable from the angle. 

 "Levy." His tone was guarded, colder then it was normally with fellow guild members. The younger girl simply smiled at him not paying his greeting any mind and kept her focus on Cana and Loke. 

 "So do you have any plans today Cana? I heard that the Thunder Legion took a job yesterday." Levy's quiet voice was curious and Cana let her attention drift from the rest of the guild to focus on her. 

 "Nothing specific, I've been out of the guild a lot this week, I think it would be best if I stayed around here today. Not much of a court alpha if I'm not around for my court right?" Cana did her best to keep her voice confident even is she watched Loke's lips quirk in her peripheral as he looked intently at his breakfast plate. 

 "Sorry guys, I'm gonna go stretch out somewhere quieter." Gray's announcement nearly rode over the end of Cana's question as he stood up and rolled out his shoulders. 

 "Oh I'm sorry Gray I didn't mean to disturb you." Levy hastily appologized but the Beta simply shrugged and didn't look at her as he turned away. 

 "Nah, shoulda known a table with Loke wouldn't be a spot to nap at." 

 "Hey! That was one night!" Loke called after him defensively as the brunette simply snapped two fingers in a lazy salute over his shoulder as he kept walking away. 

 "Wonder what's up with him." Levy muttered and Loke shrugged. 

 "Probably just cranky. Gray gets moody when he's tired." she watched him walk to one of the booths tucked in the front corner of the guild where if someone opened the doors he wasn't immediately visible. It was a quieter area, most of the members preferred to be closer to the bar and kitchen at the back of the hall.

 "I've noticed that a bit, Beta's are always so hard to read." Loke mused and flashed Levy a smile. "Don't you agree gorgeous?" Levy snorted and flicked some of the scrambled eggs off her plate at his face before Cana could even growl a warning at him. 

 "Save it for your other girlfriends Alpha." she deadpanned biting into a slice of bacon, normally brown eyes flickering a dark omega violet only for a moment. Cana grinned with satisfaction as she listened to Loke's exaggerated protests.

 ~

 "So is it true that you're starting a Court?" Lisanna asked as she dropped a fresh tankard on Cana's table, carefully off to the side of the divination pattern the other alpha was laying out. Cana flashed her a smile that didn't quite disguise the challenge in her eyes as she looked up at the youngest Strauss. 

 "I am. I figure we need another to help keep everything stable around here. You know how uneasy everything gets when the Master has to go out of town for conferences." Lisanna nodded as she sat down across from Cana. 

 "You've got a point. But why are you doing it? I mean, there's lots of S-class Alpha's who could do the job." Cana resisted the urge to growl at her and instead calmly stared her down, nose twitching as she tried to pick apart her guild-mates scent. Lisanna was one of the alpha's who preferred to use scent-cleansing soap which always made her trickier to read. She'd confided once to Cana that she used it so that people didn't stare as much. She didn't like having to posture for her alpha status whenever she ran into a new alpha. Right now it was stopping Cana from figuring out if she was asking out of curiosity or disapproval.

 "Because the S-classes are always off on missions, they're no use if they're not here." She pointed out feeling the faint tingle of magic in her fingers as she worked the cards. "I mean, how often has Mira been around since she became S-class this year?" Lisanna broke the staring contest with frown. 

 "Well she's almost finished her Rut. She'll probably be around more now, you know how your magic gets when you first present." Cana accidentally dropping the card in her hand at the sudden realization struck her. 

 "I hadn't thought about that. That's gonna be hard on her isn't it? It took me a year to get my magic back under control." Lisanna nodded and took a long pull from her drink her scent plummeting into something dark and wet despite her attempt to shield her expression. 

 "She was so excited about having made S-class... I'm just- her presentation is going to take that away from her." Cana frowned and set her deck aside another card dropping off the bottom in her haste as she reached for Lisanna's hand with her free one. 

 "Hey it's ok." She soothed catching Lisanna's hands in both of her as the younger girl teared up in frustration. "Mira's strong and way more experienced then we were when we hit our first Ruts. I'm sure she'll bounce back way better then we did." Lisanna sniffed and blinked bringing her hands up to brush Cana's knuckles against her cheek. 

 "Do you really think so?" She asked and Cana found herself nodding squeezing her hands and feeling her alpha swell in her chest. 

 "I'm as sure of it as I am that Gray and Natsu will get into a fight." Lisanna gave a damp laugh and pulled her hands away brushing subtly at her eyes. 

 "Ya, you're right." She pushed herself up to stand than hesitated. 

 "You know Cana, I think you're going to make a great Alpha." At Cana's surprised expression she gave a wide smile, nearly a rival for Natsu's in brightness before hurrying back to the bar as Rufus called for a refill. Feeling her cheeks heat Cana glanced down at her table to hide her expression even though she her scent was probably giving her embarrassment away. She frowned as her cards came back into focus.

 The divination pattern was ruined, she could feel the power entangled with the cards twisted out of alignment by the two she'd accidentally dropped. Death laid over the Ten of Swords, obscuring the dawn. With a sigh she swiped the cards out of alignment and began to collect them back into her deck. The reminder of Mira had thrown her off rhythm she wasn't gonna have much success predicting her fathers return today. She glanced up surveying the guild, it was midmorning and most of the members had left already for jobs or training. Nab was lurking around the job board as always and Wakaba was holding up the bar deep in thought. She caught a flash of pink and frowned as she spotted Natsu sitting quietly at one of the booths near the main doors fiddling with a pack of matches and various flammable materials. Slipping her deck into it's pouch on her hip she stood up and headed over to talk to him.  

 "I thought you were going out and about with Happy today?" Cana asked as she approached and Natsu flashed her a wry smile and shrugged.

 "Lisanna wanted to come with us so I'm waiting until she's done with her bar shift." He explained, usually exuberant voice moderated. Frowning Cana glanced at the booth behind him and spotted Gray stretched out across the bench, head pillowed on his arm and breathing deep and regular. 

 "You'd better not be here to wake Gray up." she warned and Natsu huffed and sent her an exasperated glare. 

"You know better than that Cana. Naps are sacred, you don't pick a fight with a guy who's napping." He explained striking one of the matches and holding the flame up to the loosely bundled twigs that he picked up from the table, olive eyes intent as the green wood began to smolder and ignite. Cana sighed and studied him thoughtfully, always intrigued when she managed to catch the pyromaniac in a quieter moment.

"You took out a church in his last job. I'm pretty sure your definition of sacred is a bit warped." Natsu snorted and twirled the bundle around his fingers playing with the heat and the smoke. 

 "Priorities Cana. Naps are more important then dusty old buildings." He argued waving the flames at her before inhaling them with a smirk. Cana snorted and waved the smoke from her eyes irritably. 

 "The town mayor thought otherwise." she pointed out watching as he simply shrugged and used the remaining smolders of the branches to light an old copy of sorcerer weekly on fire.

 "I'm sure he preferred to not have that 30 foot cockroach rampaging through the area more." He defended, just as he'd told Makarov when he'd been confronted with the estimated damages he'd caused to the town. His eyes were focused on the slowly rising curl of smoke as he carefully exhaled on it to fan it into life and Cana couldn't hold back the chuckle as she relaxed. Natsu obviously didn't have any plans to disturb the peace of the guild before Gray woke up and it was surprisingly relaxing to watch the smoke curl between them.

 "Can't really argue with that." She murmured as the smoke made her nose curl at the faint irritation to her sinuses. 

 "So, you and Laxus huh?" Natsu's tone was casual so she only lolled her head to the side slightly to bring his face into view instead of the rising smoke. His lips were quirked teasingly but there wasn't any judgment in his olive eyes, just quiet friendly teasing. 

 "So you and Lisanna huh?" she mimicked and he flushed and glanced away. 

 "I asked first, his scent is all over the area by your apartment." This time Cana felt her own face heating so she kicked him lightly under the table. 

 "Shut up he was just making sure I got home after training like a good-"

 "Boyfriend." Natsu cut in before she could say otherwise. She narrowed her eyes to glare at him but his smirk didn't flicker. "Not going to lie, I had kinda figured that when you finally got brave enough to explore with guys you would have picked Gray." She snorted to clear her sinuses, the smoke irritating them and too similar to his own scent for her to read anything beyond his body language and tone. 

 "Gary? Nah we're just friends, besides I wouldn't want to get in the way of your guys hate sex." She laughed as the dragonslayer suddenly resembled a caught fish. Eyes wide and mouth gaping as he struggled to process the indignity. 

 "I- We- Hell no! That's just... ew, no." Grinning she reached over and patted his arm consolingly even as she struggled to keep her laughter down low enough not to wake Gray.

 "Sorry I couldn't resist." she soothed and watched as he shoved the flame from the magazine into his mouth to gnaw on.

 "That was still a low blow Alberona." he muttered when he set the safely extinguished magazine down on the table kicking her lightly under the table. 

 "You've heard that joke before Natsu." 

 "And it wasn't funny then." he pouted and she stood up with a grin and leaned forward to buzz her lips over Natsu's forehead. 

 "Yes it was. Have fun with Lisanna I've got some new card combo's I want to try running before this afternoon. You gonna be around? I've got some great ideas for a new drinking game." Natsu huffed but canted his face just enough to scent her indicating that as always the slayer couldn't hold a grudge with a guild member. 

 "I'll drink you under the table this time." Cana laughed as she stepped out of the booth. 

 "I look forward to seeing you try."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna end this chapter on a cliff hanger but thought better of it. Not sure if maybe I should have gone with my first impulse or not but I'm pretty content with the Natsu bit.


	7. chapter 7: Demons, Alpha's and Drunks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now the bombshell we've all been waiting for. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not Beta read. Will edit it once my beta gets back to me. Therefore I apologize in advance to the comma abuse.

"Goooood Morning." Cana purred leaning forward over Gray's shoulder, relishing the shudder the Beta gave while Natsu whimpered and pressed his head against his forearms under the protective helmet wrap of his scarf. "Aww, you boys feeling a little rough this morning?" She asked innocently settling herself down in the deliberate gap they had kept between them at the table. Gleefully letting her tray filled with bacon and waffles fill the air with the enticing smell of breakfast.

"I'm never drinking with you again." Gray bitched as he blinked at her blearily, eyes red and skin a few shades paler then normal. The brunette smirked and offered him a slice of apology bacon.

"It was a drinking game boys, not a contest between you two to out drink each other." she chastised while she nudged a couple of antacids towards Natsu knowing he never bothered to buy his own for mornings after. The hot head fumbled for them blindly before drawing them under the protection of his folded arms.

"I totally won." Natsu muttered, forcibly dry swallowing then holding out his hand beckoning for the coffee he could scent coming from her tray.

"Pft, as if." Gray argued stealing another piece of bacon. Cana rolled her eyes and flagged down Elfman for another coffee as she passed hers over to the barely functioning dragon slayer.

"I poured both of you into bed so lets agree that I kicked your asses." Gray shuddered as Natsu adjusted his scarf to keep his eyes covered and shifted upright enough to drink the coffee.

"You poured us both into my bed. Please never do that again, waking up to his ugly mug just makes the nausea worse." Gray muttered dropping his head on her shoulder. She smirked and ruffled his head.

"Poor baby. You two looked so cute like that though. Maybe it gave me ideas..." she teased and Gray snorted while Natsu choked and sputtered on the coffee he'd just tried to swallow.

"Pervert. Laxus not keeping you busy enough?" Gray teased and Cana smirked.

"I'm a young healthy alpha, there's enough of me to go around." Natsu snorted and tilted his head towards her scenting lightly, again Cana marveled at the runts ability to navigate by scent alone.

"Bet you haven't told Laxus that." Natsu's grin flashed enough teeth that Cana gave him a low alpha growl of warning. She was pretty sure he was joking but her alpha thought that was just a step too close to challenging, and with him in the shape he was in she figured she could put him down easily right now.

"Down alphas, it too early for this posturing bullshit." Gray warned reaching behind Cana to jerk on Natsu's scarf. As always the beta's scent was bland, only the faintest chill to giving away his irritation.

"You wanna start something Droopy eyes?" Natsu growled jerking back and carefully adjusting his scarf to maintain the protective darkness. Cana snorted and dropped her cheek on Gray's hair absently trying to soothe him. She didn't expect the almost instantaneous shove and irritated snarl.

"Keep your scent marking to yourself Cana." He warned dark eyes wary and cold as he shifted further away from her. "Stupid alpha bullshit..." he muttered to himself as he turned to glance around the guild hall. Cana frowned at that, the action had been instinctive, an alpha soothing a distressed court-mate. She rescued her coffee cup from Natsu to chase the bitterness in her throat, three years an alpha and she still didn't have total control, the thought chaffed.

 

Master Makarov's sudden appearance in the center of the guild hall snapped her out of her thoughts. The pocket sized alpha was standing patiently, hands clasped loosely behind his back as he watched the guild door. He scent was musk and spice, close to his favored tabbacoo mix, with something tickling through it almost like static in Cana's sinuses. Sneezing she felt her shoulders tensing in instinctive response to the court alpha's alertness. Slowly the breakfast noise and chatter fell silent as the alpha members focused on him, leaving the beta's frowning in confusion at the sudden change in atmosphere.

  
"Children, we have a new alpha to welcome to the court." he spoke calmly and Cana felt a chill run down her spine even as she already pushed back from the table and walked over to flank her alpha. Those words only meant one thing, Mira's rut must have ended. Glancing around she noticed that Macao wasn't in the guild. The long suffering Beta was the member usually entrusted with fetching the newly presented Alpha's. Loke stepped in beside her, his hand drifting soothing heat over her lower back in subtle reassurance. She swallowed and forced her stance to relax attempting to mirror Makarov's confidence. She had a court now which meant she had to hold her own. Loke sensed the change and gave a low rumble in approval as the other alpha's in the guild settled around them. Natsu grumbled in discomfort as he crouched before her, subtly closer to the guild master, the dragon-slayer's protective instincts had only heightened as an Alpha and when any sort of challenge to the guild appeared he couldn't, or didn't bother, to control his need to be in the front line. However Makarov's rule was absolute and even Natsu didn't try to edge ahead of him, simply coiled in anticipation, the scarf wrapped around his head over his blood-shot hungover gaze simply adding a comical aspect to the threat of aggression rising from him.

The Beta members remained seated watching with wary gazes eyes flickering from the alphas to the door and those closest to the center aisle moved towards the tables closer to wall, experience telling them it was better to be away from the showdown about to occur. Cana's gaze drifted to Gray, though he wasn't technically in her court she always kept an eye out for him. However the Beta was settled at their table calmly continuing to eat Cana's bacon. There was a shift in his posture, alert but seemingly unconcerned about what was about to happen. Seeking out Levy Cana found the Omega watching the proceedings curiously from the bar counter, glasses pushed up to settle on her forehead and spell book open on her lap. Natsu shifted, taking in a deeper breath and letting out a low growl, she didn't need to see his eyes to know they would be bright with anticipation of a fight. Makarov hissed at him quietly and the pyro settled back on his heels a bit reluctantly. A few moments latter Macao opened the guild doors and waved his hand to someone outside beckoning them to enter. Cana didn't need the Beta's presence to know who he was gesturing too. The scent that rolled into the guild was dark, under laid with brimstone and... gladius? No it was too spicy, Cana remembered it from a night walk through the city garden's but couldn't quite place it. It made her mouth water and her alpha perk up with sudden interest, similar to her reaction to Laxus. Powerful then, she'd always had and attraction to that.

Quietly Mirajane stepped into the guild hall, her eyes glowing amber fading out to red around the outer ring. Her white hair was wild and tangled. The dried sweat clinging her to skin left her looking like she'd been kissed with fairy dust, highlighting her petite curvaceous form. However danger roiled in the air around her, power crackling as she approached the gathered alphas, her eyes glowing with magic and aggression as though the demon souls that lived under her skin were vying to escape through the fragile cage of flesh. Cana felt her chest vibrating before she was even aware of the warning growl she'd begun. There was madness in those amber eyes, newly awoken alpha's, powerful ones at least, always had it. That's why courts existed, it was Makarov's job to bring fresh alpha's to heel so the mages could take control over their instincts. It hurt her to see her friend in this state even though she knew that Mira had always wanted to be an alpha. 

The takeover mage slowed her approach as she came closer to the gathered alpha's, eyes scanning the crowd assessing threat and dominance from the assembled alpha's. Cana heard Lisanna and Elfman let out faint soft whines, this was their sister and she'd been their alpha long before ever presenting. Cana hummed softly, the sound the only comfort she could offer them as she held her ground, alpha refusing to back down to Mira's challenge. 

"Mirajane." Makarov's voice was powerful, deeper, more presence in that single word then the assembled alphas in the room combined and it worked, Mira's gaze instantly locking with his as her body language shifted from wary to outright challenge. Her alpha to new and raw with power to process that there were others in the guild who could put her down. This was Cana's least favorite part even as her alpha shifted in anticipation. "Remember yourself Mira. I am the ruler of this court." Makarov's tone was faintly tinged with disapproval at such a blatant challenge for his court. The girl merely snarled at him and lunged. 

It was all over in moments and despite all the training she'd done with Laxus Cana could still barely follow the master's movements. Mira's hand was caught by his before she was thrown effortlessly to the floor, her reaction time wasn't as good as Natsu's, who'd manged to jump up for a second strike before Makarov had him pinned. Mira struggled against the Master's hold,snarling and snapping while Makarov simply growled irritably back. It took a few moments, Mira's alpha struggling longer than any Cana had witnessed since Laxus before dropping limply with a whine. Submitting to the dominating alpha. Makarov murmured to her before releasing her and stepping back into his previous position calmly. Slowly Mira pushed herself back upright and when she looked at her guildmates again it was through her normal sapphire eyes, limbs trembling with fatigue now that the adrenaline rush was fading. She was exhausted and with the aggression fading from her scent her confusion as almost palpable. Cana hesitated from a moment then stepped around Natsu and at Makarov's faint nod of permission stepped forward towards her old friend. 

"Welcome to the Court, Mira." 


	8. Scene 8: Betas, Bets, and Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loke is a shit disturber, Natsu wants to brawl, and Cana needs a drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I regret nothing

Cana propped her chin in her hand, watching as guild members filtered out the door with none of the lingering camaraderie and fan fair of their usual departures. It had only been an hour ago that Lisanna and Elfman hand help guide Mira out those same doors. The oldest Straus sibling had been exhausted, confused and shaking with an adrenaline crash needed the support that the pair of them offered her. First Ruts were hard, the sudden onslaught of stimulus took time to adjust too. Mira was strong and capable, if a bit rash and volatile, she would adapt to her new senses with more grace then others had. She was a take-over mage after all, one of the best in Fiore, she was used to enhanced senses. Levy sat across from her looking away from the door and watching the activity on the other side of the room with bemusement.

"Wow the job board is cleared out." she marveled, watching two beta members fighting over one of the few remaining flyers on the wall. Loke smirked into his tankard and settled deeper into the padded booth seat beside her.  
"Not really surprising. Mira was volatile as an S-class mage, to the betas she's probably terrifying now. New alphas are unpredictable." He explained as Cana nodded and Wakaba sighed with resignation on her other side. The smoke mage had tagged along with them when the alpha's had dispersed once Makarov had subdued Mirajane, slipping comfortably in with the group despite the age difference between them.  
"Too bad we can't join them." He muttered, "Remember when Natsu presented? It was weeks before he stopped challenging every alpha he came across." Cana laughed and set her drained tankard on the table top.  
"Yeah, then he latched back onto Gray. Poor guy hasn't had a moments rest since." Levy giggled and snuggled into Loke's shoulder comfortably. Cana had made it clear that the Omega was off limits to her second and Loke had since become Levy's favored barrier between her and the exasperating alphas in the guild. The redheaded alpha chuckled and leaned back into her slightly.  
"I don't think that anyone pities the poor guy." Loke sympathized.  
"Don't see you going to his rescue." Wakaba pointed out as Macao gave up fighting for a flyer and slunk over to join their table.

"Shove over." Macao muttered pushing the smoke mage with a careless disregard for the other mans alpha status in order to crowd into the already full booth. "Mira's barely left the guild to shower and recover and those vultures have picked the board clean already."  
"No luck getting a job?" Cana asked and the fire mage sighed.  
"I let one of the kids have it, it wasn't much of a job anyway. Besides I've got more experience with you knot heads then they do." Levy chuckled and reached across the table to pat his hand at the sulk that betrayed his displeasure with the decision.  
"It's the right thing to do." she assured him. "I'd have made a break for it too but Jet and Droy refuse to let me take a job alone and they're in lock down with the rest of the alphas." Cana shrugged and motioned for another drink, the server was new, the girl she'd eyed up a week ago had quit after four days in the chaos of the guild.  
"It's just till the court settles. Mira's got to carve out her place, it's easier on everyone if the court stays together while we figure it out." Cana explained to Levy, the omega still puzzled by the courts customs.  
"Think there'll be an issue when Laxus and his court come back? That's four powerful alpha's there." Wakaba asked curiously packing tobacco into his pipe. Cana shook her head with a smug smile.  
"He'll kick her ass. I've thrown down with him, he's almost as ruthless as the Master." The brunette couldn't help the bit of smug pride that drifted into her voice talking about him. She still wasn't sure if they were dating or what but her alpha was confident that they at least had some sort of claim on the absent blond.

"You know you two are gonna catch flack for fooling around." Macao told the table top, not condemning but a bit uncomfortable. Cana frowned, biting back the alpha in her chest that wanted to rumble a warning at him.  
"If you've got a problem with me Macao, say it now." she warned him. The silence at the table stretched long enough that Loke perked up in alertness, even Wakaba tensed, forgetting the match burning between his fingers.  
"Macao-" Cana began, suddenly interrupted as Wakaba cursed, dropping the match and shaking out his burned fingers. Before the flames could hit the table Macao motioned with his fingers and drew the flame into the palm of his hand, the fireball shifting to purple as his magic began to infuse it.  
"No. No I don't have an issue with it, Alpha." It was the first indication that he'd given of acknowledging her status as head of the court. "I just worry, I know how tough I have it and I my only crime was to be a Beta marrying an Omega." Cana studied him for a moment then sighed and relaxed back against her seat. Not seeing any judgement from the man she considered a close uncle. She knew her interest in other Alphas was going to cause some conflicts but she'd hoped that those closest to her wouldn't disapprove.  
"I appreciate your concern, but I'm a big girl I know what I'm getting into." She assured him, wishing she felt as confident as her scent and voice suggested.  
"All that aside you guys are forgetting Laxus is the head of his court, he's the only one who needs to take on Mira. Her alpha should leave the other three alone once he does that. Sure there'll be scuffles but nothing like that initial challenge." Loke reminded them with a smirk at Cana who paused with her fresh tankard raised to her lips as that sunk in.

"Fuck." Wakaba laughed at her and held his pipe out to Macao to light.  
"That's right. We've got a Cana to hide behind now don't we." He sounded smug about it and Cana took a large swallow to try and hide the way her face had paled.  
"Damn it Loke, you plotted this!" She accused, waving a finger at the ginger once she'd lowered her mug. "You brought up this whole court idea after Mira's rut started." He simply grinned at her, unrepentant.  
"I was going to approach you about it anyway, Mira presenting simply moved my time-table up. I know alphas Cana, you were already starting to think about founding a court." he pointed out.  
"I've failed the S-class trials three times Loke. I've been beat out by both Laxus, Erza, and Mira." she protested but the other alpha waved his hand dismissively. Rings gleaming in the light.  
"That doesn't mean anything. You're a tactical mage whose been put up against battle mages, just because you don't have as many combat spells doesn't mean you've failed. There's no magic allowed in Alpha fights, that levels the field in your favour." Wakaba considered Loke's argument while Cana tried to stutter an objection.  
"Loke might have a point. Also you've been training with Laxus, he's a pretty physical alpha so you must have picked up something from him." Cana groaned and dropped her head to the table.  
"So I'm a buffer between the She-Devil and five other alphas? Great..." Wakaba and Loke laughed and she frowned at them in confusion. "What's so funny." Loke gave her an innocent smile.  
"I guess I forgot to mention, I brought 20 other alphas into the court with me." Cana just stared at him agape.  
"Y-you- 25? I've got 25 alphas to look after!" she sputtered and Wakaba threw his head back.  
"Brilliant timing." He congratulated as Cana struggled to wrap her mind around the thought.  
"That's- that's almost every alpha aside from Erza's and the Thunder legion. Like," she quickly did the math in her head. "Two-thirds of the alphas in the guild!" Levy smirked at her dazed tone as she tried to process the sudden enormity of that.  
"Not to mention you've got the guilds token omega." she teased and Macao grinned at a sudden thought.  
"I've heard some of the other Betas mentioning that they were thinking of joining up as well." Cana reached for her mug with a shaking hand.  
"Isn't there some sort of formality to all of this?" she asked and Loke grinned at her.  
"Sure, we're all just waiting to the Mira thing to settle. You've got a whole Court riding on this girl."  
"Yep. So no pressure." Wakaba teased and Cana threw back the rest of her drink.  
"Fuck I need another drink. You can't just spring this on me you guys." Loke simply smirked fondly at her.  
"Consider it a free lesson in running a court. You need to pay more attention to what's going on with the alphas around you." Cana groaned.  
"I'm not ready for this." She muttered. "I was supposed to ease into this thing."  
"Too late now kiddo. Don't worry Wakaba and I will help you out, Macao too. Poor Beta's had to navigate the court drama for years." the dark haired man nodded.  
"I swear no-one makes drama like alphas." he muttered.  
"Speaking of which. Erza left before Mira started presenting didn't she?" Levy asked causing Cana to whimper and drop her head on the table in defeat.  
"I think I hate you all." She muttered.

 

~  
Everyone knew the peace wouldn't last, which in Fairy Tail fashion meant there was a betting pool. It was a long standing tradition in the Fairy Tail Court and speculation abounded. Natsu was the clear favorite for the alpha that would be the first to be in conflict, though there was speculation about others. Personally Cana thought anyone betting against Natsu was just wasting money but hey, more payout for her. 

"Mirajane is on the move towards the guild everyone." Warren's voice seemed to echo through the guild hall, causing the assembled alpha's to shift restlessly and quickly finish placing their bets.

"Show time." Loke spoke up with a smirk, he was lounged across the other side of the booth from Cana, legs stretched out ahead of him and back to the wall. He looked like this was just another day at the guild except his usual tankard had been replaced with a lemonade glass, ice tinkling against the edges. Cana dropped her head back against the booth to study the dark wooden ceiling overhead. From the edge of the seat beside her Gray snorted.

"I'm sure this can't be as bad as when Natsu presented." He pointed out and Cana shook her head while Loke frowned, he hadn't been around for that one. "The idiot went around challenging everyone, alpha or not, for weeks." Cana whined at the idea and stole a drink from Loke's glass.

"Natsu was aggressive but he wasn't actually challenging anyone for rank. He's always been weird like that. I'm worried though, he's one of the newer alpha's his control will be the most precarious." Cana twisted the glass watching the ice cubes dance around inside. Gray hummed and rested his chin on his hand watching the pair of alphas at the table.

"It's Natsu, if the Master wasn't keeping Happy and him locked in the office, he'd already have hunted Mira down. Her presenting is mostly just an excuse for a fight." Loke chuckled at that.

"I'd wondered where he'd run off too. It seemed to quiet in here." Cana huffed.

"At least he's not in my Court, when Mira beats his head in it won't be my problem." she muttered emptying the glass making Loke sputter in objection.

"You seem pretty confident that she will." Gray was studying Cana curiously and she shrugged her attention constantly drifting to the guild hall main doors.

"Natsu is fighting for fun, Mira's fighting for rank. When he came after me when he'd presented it was just a game to him, win or lose he didn't care." Loke pursed his lips in consideration though he jumped when the guild doors slammed open leaving Mira backlit against the morning light.

"Here we go." He muttered as blue eyes shot with gold and rimmed with red scanned the alphas. Behind her Lisanna and Elfman stood patiently, neither daring to move past the more dominant alpha. Over Mira's shoulder Lisanna caught Cana's gaze and gave an eye roll at her sisters behavior. Cana felt her lips quirk even as her attention focused on Mira. As her scent blew into the guild from the open doorway there was no way to mistake the bite of alpha aggression that overlaid it. The faint burning behind Cana's eyelids that signaled her eyes were trying to change in response, gritting her teeth she forced it back, leaving no tell of her alpha raising her hackles in responsive aggression.

"Great." She muttered back, the words barely breathed knowing that Mira overhearing them would only draw attention. Loke's smirk was only visible in her peripheral as she kept her attention on Mira, there were too many alphas in the guild and most of them were hers now, odds that she wasn't really happy about.

"Fight me!" Natsu's demand was only moments ahead of his launch off the second floor balcony aiming straight for the ivory haired alpha. In an instant Mira's eyes lost what blue they had and the scent of smoke and brimstone filled the air as she rushed to meet Natsu. The alphas who'd been at the center tables scattered, scrambling to safety as Natsu's leap dropped him right into the middle of them. His eyes were golden, pupils shifted into slits (a characteristic that Cana hadn't seen in another alpha) and bright with anticipation. Watching the play of lean muscles across his arms Cana debated his odds. He was a skilled physical combatant, most of his magics were delivered close range and hand to hand. However at 16 Mirajane was two years his senior and an S-class mage to boot, her alpha might be new but she had impressive combat experience to draw on. Mira's charged straight at the tables and with an effortless motion she jumped up onto them, jumping from one to another until she drew to a stop on the table facing Natsu. She drew her shoulders back, stretching for ever inch of her 5'1" height, lips drawn back to growl at him from the back of her throat. Natsu for his part snarled right back at her ever the incendiary brat, his stance shifting to the balls of his feet.

Watching the two of them posture Cana almost missed Gray's snort beside her, blindly she swatted at him. "Hush." she growled at him. Gray hissed as her hand caught the back of his head. Their antics distracted Natsu for a second, and that was all the opening Mira needed to close the distance between them. Natsu shifted to brace for her charge, their combined weight and movement throwing the table off balance and it up ended momentarily blocking Cana's view of the fight. However it wasn't for long as Natsu was sent flying into one of the guild support pillars. He coughed and blinked a bit dazed from the hit as Mira closed in on him and delivered an impressive hit to his solar plexus. As he doubled over instinctively Mira brought her knee up and caught him in the chin. The alphas watching rumbled, they'd expected the She-Devil to be brutal and so far she'd lived up to the title. As she brought her fists down for a hammer blow Natsu flung himself to the side, skidding on the flagstone floor as he tried to get his feet under him. Despite the blood trickling from the corner of his lips his expression and scent was as far from submitting as ever. Mira's nostrils flared, obviously catching Natsu's insubordinate scent and the red in her amber eyes deepened. When she closed with him again this time Natsu was ready for her and instead of letting her toss him around he flipped them both back onto one of the tables before their struggles against each other tumbled them onto the floor.

It was a dirty wrestling match, despite Natsu's advantage in height Mira was vicious, biting clawing and unapologetically kneeing him between the legs when he manged to pin her. Cana couldn't have said how long the struggle went on for before they finally stilled. Natsu heaved from beneath Mira, her forearm baring down on his throat impeding his breathing while her knee was wedged dangerously close to his groin. Their eyes were locked on each other, Natsu's expression stubborn while Mira's was blood thirsty looking as though her alpha was hoping that the fight wasn't over yet. Letting out a huff Natsu let his head fall back as much as Mira's hold would allow. There was visible effort to the action as he slackened against the floor, submitting to the other alpha in body even as his eyes flashed. He was conceding dominance but the war was far from over. Snarls shifting into a low purr of approval Mira rose to her feet, brushing her palms off on her black miniskirt torn tank-top fluttering slightly as she glared at the rest of the gathered alphas. Huffing Natsu heaved himself to his feet, staying hunched as he pressed a hand to his groin and began to carefully make his way away from the She- Devil.

"I think he'll need an ice-pack for that." Loke muttered with a sympathetic wince.

"Yeah, he can get one from the kitchen I'm not putting my ice anywhere near that." Gray informed the other mage his eyes flickering from Natsu to Mira's eerily still form. Lisanna approached her sister calmly, her posture respectful pausing for acknowledgment before placing a gentle hand on her arm. Cana couldn't quite make out what the younger girl said but it seemed to work and Mira's shoulders relaxed and the gaze she turned to Elfman's more hesitant approach was blue again. Cana let out a slow breath.

"Well that's done." Loke murmured shifting to sit properly in the booth as Elfman and Lisanna herded Mira to one of the remaining tables, isolated from the others by the wreckage around it. Once she was settled Lisanna sent Elfman to the bar counter where the staffer were huddled against the far wall having watched the fight with terror. Causiously the other alphas drifted back towards the tables keeping a wide berth around the sisters.

"One is anyway. The fighting is easy, it's learning the rules thats hard." Cana muttered gaze drifting over the wary alphas noting the way eyes in varying shades of gold flickered her way constantly seeking direction and assurance, Loke noticed and kicked her gently under the table snapping her focus back to him.

"Relax but don't get comfortable. They're following your lead Alpha." Cana considered that then arched her back in a stretch and let out a long breath.

"Easy for you to say, I'm the one in the line of fire." She muttered to him and he shrugged.

"I've got my own set of problems. Hold down the booth Alpha, I'm going to go do the rounds with the court." he informed her then headed out. Beside her Gray sighed and dropped his head back on the seat.

"You alphas have way too many rules." he muttered and Cana smiled in wane agreement.

"I remember thinking that before I presented to." she commiserated gaze drifting back to Mira.

At some point in the fight with Natsu she'd lost her hair tie and now the strands hung loose and pale down her back, dancing with every motion of her head. Beneath her semi-sheer tank top Cana could trace the lines of her usual black crop top. Mira and her had been close, at least as close as the other girl would allow. Having played neutral ground when it came to the rivalry between her and Erza Cana had a decent relationship with her, admittedly more like neighbours than family. Mira always kept her siblings as a buffer between herself and the other guild members, a decision that Cana couldn't really judge her for. Fairy Tail was a bit, overzealous, most of the time. However after presenting things changed and Cana hoped that it wouldn't affect things between them. She wasn't sure who else she'd be able to go to when she had girl trouble, lesbian dating drama was a category all it's own. Sighing Cana glanced over at Gray who was slouched deep in his seat watching Natsu sitting on a bar stool with his back to the wall.

"Go see if he's ok." She told him and he blinked in surprise then glanced at her with a frown.

"Obviously he is. The fool's still breathing." Gray retorted and Cana couldn't contain the low growl in irritation.

"Because none of the alphas can check on him dumbass, it'll set Mira off. Now go check on your Guildmate." she hissed, eyes flashing gold. Gray gave a long suffering sigh and heaved himself to his feet grumbling under his breath as he headed over to Natsu. Mira's gaze latched onto him when he began moving but scenting he was a beta she focused back on Lisanna who was trying to distract her from the unfamiliar alpha instincts. Cana took a deep breath and let it out, with Gray gone from the table she was finally able to let her shoulders settle. Natsu had enough of a nose to keep the two of them out of alpha conflicts which meant she could finally try and sort through the information that her alpha was pushing at her. Closing her eyes she settled back into the booth, focusing on her other senses.

The alphas were murmuring among themselves, a few growls between each other as some of the more unstable rankings took the opportunity to quietly jockey for position. She frowned at that but decided to let it be, now wasn't the time to micromanage them and it wasn't a precedent that she wanted to set. Wakaba was sitting off to the wide with Macao sucking on his pipe, the reassuring scent of smoke and flame drifting from them. There were a few scents that were agitated but they were too muddled for her to pick out who it was by scent alone. With a huff she opened her eyes and scanned the room. Jet and Droy were snarling quietly at each other on the far end of the guild hall. Great, just what she needed for those two to cause a fuss over Levy when she wasn't even here. Suddenly Cana felt a low growl escape her alpha as she realized what she'd been trying to tell her. Levy wasn't here and the two alphas that could be trusted to keep her away from the guild weren't with her.

"Dammit." She moved to rise trying to catch Loke's gaze from where he was settling some of the lowest ranks alphas, probably reassuring them that they wouldn't be left to face Mira. However as the guild doors opened and the scent of dust and lemonade rolled in she knew it was too late. Loke's head snapped up even as Mira froze, fork dropping from nerveless fingers. The faint sound snapped Loke's attention to Cana just long enough for her to nod to him. Skillfully Loke moved towards the doorway even as the sound of Jet and Droy's conflict silenced in the face of the sudden scent of alpha rising in the guild hall.

"Omega?" Mira rolled the word around her tongue as though testing it out. Trying to make the connection between what her alpha instincts were telling her and the scent now swirling into the guild hall. Cana felt the hair on the back of her neck rise to attention even as she sympathized with Mira's situation. She wasn't immune to the lure of an Omega's scent even if she didn't feel a need to pursue a courtship with one. Mira however had always seemed to have a weakness for female omegas, even before her presentation. Slowly Mira rose eyes snapped to amber as Loke quickly closed the door behind Levy and drew her away into one of the more sheltered corners. The transformation mage is between Cana and the pair but the snarl rising from the smaller alpha's petite form carried loud and clear as she began to stalk towards them. Cana hurried towards her having to push her way though the assembled alphas as they began to again push back towards the guild hall walls in the face of the imminent show down. Loke could hold his own and Cana kept reminding her alpha that as she snarled at the guild-mates who were slowing her down. However when Jet and Droy formed a wall between Mira and her target Cana realized that all bets were off.

"Back off Mira." Jet growled at her eyes alpha gold and shoulders tensed for a fight. Beside him Droy cracked his knuckles gaze equally sharp and intent though his gaze wavered, not quite able to hold Mira's stare.

"Out of my way." Mira bit the words off, her voice lower then normal, as though the She-Devil was closer to the surface than normal. It would make sense, the violence and aggression pumping through her system was bound to have an impact on her demons. Jet tensed but managed to hold his ground, it was an impressive showing since neither of those two stood a chance against Natsu and Mira had put him in his place already.

"No." The refusal was the last show of defiance that Mira's alpha could tolerate and she lunged.


	9. Scene 9: Mono a Mono

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where things are bitter sweet and Cana learns a few things bout her Alpha.

Scene 9: Mono a Mono

She wasn't gonna make it.

The thought echoed through Cans's mind as she shoved her way clear of the gathered alphas. Mira was already moving across the dozen or so feet that separated her from Jet and Droy with single minded purpose. Feeling her alpha stretch out with a snarl at the threat Cana centered her thoughts, sending a brief prayer that this was the right choice, before letting herself submit to her inner alpha.

Despite having spent a grueling week sparring with Laxus to learn this technique it was still felt awkward and jarring. The world around her shifted, colours saturated or faded, details sharped, the slightest shift of motion suddenly appearing exaggerated. However her alpha quickly dismissed the assembled Court to focus on Mira. Her scent saturated the air, that low undertone of midnight flowers barely noticeable beneath the brimstone of aggression. Beyond her Droy was settling into a brace even as his heavy earthy scent wavered, his alpha aware he and his teammate were outclassed. Jet trembled on the verge of retreat, the scent of dust rising from him in barely restrained submission. Cana didn't bother to hold back the snarl in her chest as she dove, catching Mira's thighs and tackling her to the floor.

The landing was rough the guild floor hard and unforgiving. However it was worse for Mira who hadn't known it was about to happen due to her single minded focus on Levy and the alphas between her and her prize. The blonde hadn't had time to put her arms out and the snap of her teeth as her jaw hit the floor was sharp and clear. Barely taking time to catch her breath Cana was moving to straddle Mira's hips, snarl still vibrating in her throat as she reached to grasp a handful of silken hair to help wrestle her down. The alpha below her recovered faster than anticipated and twisted onto her back. Cana only had a moment to get her first close up look at Mira's uniquely gradient eyes before with a flash of teeth and an upward thrust of her hips Cana was flipped off.

Tucking into a roll instinctively Cana used her momentum to twist herself into a crouch between Mira and the alphas under her protection. Behind her she heard a relieved sigh carried on the scent of moonlight from Loke. Jet and Droy were still standing dumb behind here frozen on the rush of adrenaline. Cana growled at the pair not taking enough control back from her alpha to form words. With Mira rising to her feet in front of her the momentary loss of advantage wasn't worth it. The other alpha snarled, battle red lipstick leaving her mouth looking blood stained and Cana responded with a grin that was little more than a flash of teeth. Her alpha assessing the situation now that the immediate threat to her court was mitigated. Cana clearly remembered the beating she'd taken underneath the Mira's demon claws a few months ago during the the s-class trials. However facing down Mira's red hazed gold stare Cana didn't feel the intimidation she'd expected. Instead her tongue ran over her lips in anticipation. Mira's brow furrowed for a moment as her eyes tacked the motion, her hesitation only lasted a moment.

This time Cana didn't try to track the instinctive response to the attack. Years of sparring were woven into her muscle memory and thinking would only slow her down. She let go the last hold she had on her alpha, retaining just enough clear headed control to keep herself anchored from the rush of bloodlust that coiled through her. Finally set free Cana's instincts met Mira with a matching intensity. Mira was fighting for a place in the court, adrift on instinct and desire. Cana had a Court riding on the outcome of this battle. A Court she hadn't even realized she'd decided to accept until the rightness of this fight settled into her alpha. Standing between her guild and danger, keeping them safe and together was exactly where both halves of her wanted to be. They were her family and Mira was daring to challenge that.

Cana wasn't sure how long the fight had gone on for when she found herself over Mira's prone form. One hand was wrapped in the other alphas hair, forcing her head to the side and back, leaving her neck exposed and vulnerable. Her teeth were pressed to Mira's neck, sharp edges poised over the fragile skin protecting the other girls jugular. Cana wasn't sure how she'd done it but Mira's arm was contorted under her back against the floor held in the sharp position by Cana's other hand on her wrist. The arch of the smaller girl's back forced their chests together, heaving breaths uncomfortably out of sync between the press of their bodies. It took Cana a moment for figure out why her alpha had subsided, before she realized that the brimstone had faded from Mira's scent, replaced with the hot iron scent of blood and the return of those midnight flowers. It wasn't until Mira trembled and arched her neck to expose her throat further that Cana recognized the significance of it.

Mira was submitting.

Swallowing Cana gave a low rumble, somewhere between a purr and a growl acknowledging the action. Carefully she drew back, still watching the She-Devil suspiciously, however Mira remained pliant below her, eyes squeezed shut. Her sheer top was shredded and bruises and cuts littered her skin. A few bite marks were still bleeding leaving brilliant crimson paths across her pale skin. Cans released a proper purr this time, her alpha smug and pleased by the sight. Remembering where they were Cana raised herself to her knees and glanced around the guildhall in a daze.

Every alpha present was pressed tightly to the walls leaving the girls amidst the shattered wood and overturned tables that had once filled the guildhall. Bloody streaks and prints covers everything. Cana spotted her torn orange jacket on the floor where she must have struggled out of it. In disbelief Cana scanned the crowd for Loke. The ginger alpha looked as surprised as the others initially. Realizing she was looking at him her released his hold on Levy who he'd tucked protectively behind him and folded gracefully to his knees.

"Your will Alpha." The words were spoken clearly and with surprising honour. Cana blinked trying to process the unfamiliar action as suddenly other alphas dropped to the ground as well. The words echoed and repeated in a wave as nearly every alpha knelt. Cana stared as she looked around with unease. Gray was leaning against one of the Second floor support posts and gave her an acknowledging nod. At his side Natsu flashed her a wide proud grin around the icepack pressed to his cheek. On the far side of the hall Lisanna and Elfman tilted their heads submissively but remained standing.

Gaze darting back to Loke he arched a brow expectantly, silently coaching her to action. Rising to her feet Cana felt a breeze against her back where her shirt should have been. However she ignored it for the flutter of anxiety against her ribs as every eye in the room followed her movement.

"Well," her voice sounded rough so she swallowed before continuing. "I think it's time for a drink." Carefully she stepped over Mira and abruptly the tension in the guild hall melted away.

"Well if that was the plan you could have at least left us with a couple of tables Cana!" Someone called out, she thought it might have been Wakaba.

"Oh man I did not see that coming, someone is gonna get a hell of a payout from the pool-"

"-little Cana seems like just yesterday-"

"Didn't expect Mira to go down like that-"

"-it's gonna be a headache to get this car-" the rising canopy of voices soothed Cana's nerves as she propped a hip one a surviving bar stool. She felt shakey with adrenaline and her alpha kept replaying the rush of having Mira below her in submission.

"I knew you could do it." Loke spoke appearing at her side as she watched the activity of the court moving into action. Cana sighed tiredly without turning to look at him.

"I don't even know what happened." She muttered looking down at her hands and realizing she was as bloody and bruised as Mira. Loke pressed a glass of something cold into her hands.

"Drink." He ordered even as she was raising her hand and reflexively. When she shot him a side eye glare he simply smirked as Levy pushed by him with a first aid kit to start examining her wounds. "I'm not surprised. I didn't expect that from you. Not many folks have enough control over their alpha to let go like that." Cana shrugged wincing as Levy began to clean the cuts.

"I dunno, it was something Laxus and I talked about. He said I needed to trust my alpha more if I wanted to run a Court." Loke smirked.

"Probably a good thing you did. Mira's one of the most aggressive alphas I've ever seen present." He frowned over to where Lianna and Elfman were helping Mira to a secluded booth that had escaped the brawl. Cana sighed regretfully.

"I hope this doesn't cause a grudge, she and I have been friends for a long time." Cana murmured. Loke leaned over and rested his head lightly on her shoulder in consolation.

"Things will work out. I'm sure you went through something similar when you first joined the Court as well." He assured. Cana chuckled softly and tilted her head to rub her cheek against his hair.

"With Laxus actually. He doesn't have much tolerance to Alpha posturing. I think he puts up with enough of it in his own court." Loke laughed at that and lifted his head off her shoulder as she raised her glass for another drink. This time she actually tasted the cool tart lemonade as it soothed her parched throat, however it didn't do anything to cut the coppery taste of blood in her mouth. She wasn't sure if it was originating from her split cheek or lingering from the bites she'd inflicted on Mira.

"It's strange that they're all still doing that. You'd think by now the three of them would have settled already." Loke observed and Cana hissed as levy began to tend to her own bitemarks.

"It's mostly due to Freed. He's been manipulating all three of them from the start. Lately though he's seemed to have started to get the confidence to actually make a move to be Laxus' second in command." Loke hummed in consideration.

"You'll have to pick one yourself actually now that the Court has officially has officially choosen you as their leader." Cana frowned and drained the rest of her drink.

"I'm not planning to deal with my own Freed Loke. You're stuck as my second, deal with it." Loke froze at that, for some reason seeming surprised by her decision.

"Cana- Alpha. I don't know if that's the-" he began to object and Cana turned to stare him down.

"Deal. With. It." she repeated with a growl and Loke flinched slightly by tried to hold down her stare. "I've got enough left to take you on Loke." Cana warned starting to draw herself up to stand only to hiss as levy swatted her in the back of the head.

"Can it. You're showdown can wait until I've finished patching you up." The Omega was immune to Cana's irritation and Loke huffed from the other side of her.

"Guess the Omega has spoken." He paused then spoke quietly. "As you will Alpha." he aquiseted and Cana hummed and tuned back to him.

"So, what are the odds that I can get an actual drink now.?" she asked and he simply smirked at her with amusement.

"Not a chance. You need to be ready to stand up to Mira when she starts to pester the rest of the alphas for position." Cana dropped her chin to her chest with a curse finally noticing that her tank top was torn up and one of her bra straps had broken.

"This is gonna be a long day." She mourned. 

 


	10. Scene 10: Pretty boys and girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not the fight Cana expected to watch today, her alpha approves

Cana smiled to herself as she stood on the back patio of the guild hall and leaned against the railing letting the wind coming off the ocean clear her nose. The scent of alpha, blood, and violence still clung to the main hall and had assaulted her senses as soon as she'd entered this morning, as if the aching of bruises and stinging cuts weren't enough of a reminder of yesterday. Master Makarov had barely spared her a glance before ordering her out to the back patio while he and a few others of the court continued to clean up the wreckage from the day before. Behind her the remains of the shattered tables and chairs were piled up in preparation of the usual bonfire ceremony in Mira's honor tonight, an excuse to gather in the fresh air outside of the confines of the hall and the scent of violence that would linger for days. Forcing her shoulders to relax Cana stubbornly kept her attention on the rising wind, therefore it wasn't until long arms were already looping themselves around her waist and a warm weight was pressed against her back that the scent of ozone didn't hit her. The shiver that ran up her spine was as out of her control as the reflexive jerk her strung out nerves gave as Laxus ducked his head to press his lips to the side of her neck with a soft laugh.

 

"Easy there Brat." he murmured against her hair locking his hold around her defensively.

 

 

"Morning. I didn't hear that you guys were back already." she let out a deliberate breath and tilted her head slightly to grant him more access to her neck as she leaned back against him with a low hum. His chest rumbled as he scented behind her ear lightly. 

 

"We got in on the last train somewhere around three am. We all just crawled home to bed, I did think about checking to see if yours was warmer then mine." His low voice was amused and she tilted her head slightly so he could nuzzle in. The faint scratch of his stubble against the sensitive skin enough to make her squirm slightly. 

 

"If you had I probably wouldn't have noticed I was absolutely done last night." She confessed the memory enough to make her limbs feel heavy with exhaustion. Laxus purred behind her and pressed closer, crowding her against the barrier. 

 

"I heard about that. It's all anyone's been talking about. Wish I'd been there." As he spoke his voice got lower and his scent shifted with heated promise. Smirking Cana turned to hook her hands behind his neck watching how his eyes darkened and his lips tilted with absent smugness.

 

"Disappointed you weren't the one to face her." she asked and he shook his head, one finger coming up to trace the shadow of a forming bruise on her cheek. 

 

"It would have been satisfying, but you would have been magnificent to watch." He sounded proud and Cana preened a little bit. To have an alpha as capable and dominant as Laxus say he'd have been willing to step aside to let her face Mira, gave her a heady thrill. Almost as good as Mira's submission. 

 

"Honestly." she trailed a finger along his jaw gaze dropping to his lips before flickering back up to his eyes. "I probably would have thrown you across the bar and had my way with you if you'd been there." she murmured playfully rising up onto her toes slightly. It was the right answer since he growled and jerked her the rest of the way up for a hungry kiss, hands tight on her hips uncaring of her bruises. Cana bit his bottom lip in reprimand then fisted one hand in his hair to draw his head back so she could nip along his neck. "And while I am uncomfortably tempted to make up for lost time and do it now, we probably shouldn't get too carried away. If Mira shows up you'll have to deal with her." He sighed regretfully and let her drop back down to her feet. 

 

"I hate these dominance games." he muttered and Cana smirked at him disbelievingly. 

 

"Liar. You have way to much fun trampling the challengers." He glanced to the side but didn't deny it. 

 

"Natsu was satisfying." He acknowledged and she patted his cheek. 

 

"Put on a good show and we'll have some fun tonight. I'm thinking of ordering in. Wanna come over and make out on the couch?" She asked. He turned his head and nipped her palm, his aggressive responses were more exciting than any omega submission had ever been. 

 

"I'm on board for that. Provided I get to choose the take-out." he stipulated making Cana smirk. 

 

"Only if you're buying your share, bottomless pit." Laxus laughed and stepped back to flex his arms. 

 

"A guys gotta eat to bulk up." he preened and Cana's lips curved indulgently, the blonde was only a few years out of his last growth spurt, his limbs were solid and he'd lost the gauntness that had lingered from it but he was far from what could be considered bulky.  More lean and catlike... with pretty sexy definition under that loose fitting long-sleeved shirt. She felt a twist of anticipation below her stomach and let her eyes drop in a shameless once over.

 

"In that case I'll have to take a closer look tonight and let you know how you're doing." Laxus growled at her but before he could retort someone behind them cleared their throat. Cana frowned and shifted as Laxus looked over his shoulder. 

 

"What do you want old man?" He grumbled and Makarov fixed him with a warning stare. 

 

"You two should get to your Courts. Mira's on her way over." Cana sighed and stepped back towards the guild hall. 

 

"Oh goodie." She muttered and Makarov's lips twitched in amusement. 

 

"Welcome to life as a Court Alpha." He told her and Laxus laughed as he approached and ruffled her hair. 

 

"She'll be fine, she's only got a few alpha's to babysit." she growled at him in warning as Makarov shook his head. 

 

"She's got more than that. By the way, Macao is looking to talk to you." He informed her and Cana sent a frown towards the guild doors though the beta wasn't waiting there. 

 

"That's not ominous. I should go check on things and see where Levy is gonna hole up today. I don't want to repeat yesterday."  She bumped Laxus with her hip. 

 

"You better make sure Freed isn't gonna have to step in for you. Mira will wipe the floor with him." Laxus huffed. 

 

"He doesn't look it but his alpha is no push over. Brat." He shoved her head in reprimand though he mostly smelled playful. 

 

"Hmm well maybe I'll see for myself later today." She smirked at him as she passed Makarov, wiggling her brows teasingly over the guild masters head as he focused on his grandson. Pleased at the irritated frown that earned her as she headed into the guild hall.

 

"Any word on when Erza will be back?" Laxus asked from behind her and Cana winced at the reminder as she shouldered the door open. That wasn't a conflict she was looking forward too, Mira and Erza had always had a rivalry going on and now that they were both alphas it was going to become intolerable. However that worry was pushed from her mind as the scent of the guild rushed at her through the open door. 

 

Again the gathered alphas were agitated however they didn't smell as edgy as they had been yesterday. She wasn't positive but she thought they relaxed further as she stepped into the guild proper. Reedus and Wakaba nodded at her from one of the booths, heads canted respectfully as she flashed them a smile and crossed over to lean on the booth at Wakaba's shoulder. 

 

"Morning boys. Either of you know where I could find Macao? Master said he was looking for me." Reedus shook his head, absently drawing on the table top with the condensation from his drink. 

 

"I'm afraid not Alpha. I've scented him around today but that's all so far." Cana nodded and let her fingers trail along the hair at the nape of Wakaba's neck, careful not to disturb his ridiculous pompadour.

 

"Alright I'll keep looking. Who's behind the bar?" She asked curiously and Wakaba snorted. 

 

"Gray. The last of the staff quit after yesterday. Master figured he'd cause the least fuss with all the alphas on edge." the smoke mage explained and Cana laughed at that.

 

"Doubtful, Natsu will probably start all the alcohol on fire to pick a fight with him..." Cana frowned as she considered that briefly then shook her head. "Nope. They're Erza's problem." She reminded herself and the men laughed. Rolling her eyes she nodded to the two alphas and moved towards the center of the guild.

 

It was sparser here than usual, guild members choosing to linger along the walls in the better protected booths. She couldn't blame them the remaining tables looking like they might fall down before the day was over. As the main guild doors opened and Mira entered Cana studied how her eyes flicked between blue and gold, and let out a resigned breath. If they even survived that long she amended, the girl still looked ready to pick a fight. Drawing her shoulders back Cana continued her rounds nodding to Loke who had Levy tucked into a booth with him books piled around her as she worked, unconcerned with the alphas drama. Discarding the idea of joining them Cana settled herself on one of the stools along the bar where she could lounge and watch the rest of the guild without being trapped behind a table. The tenderness along the top of her right thigh reminded her she'd made that mistake yesterday. 

 

"Can I get you anything?" Gray sounded put upon from behind her and she flashed him a smile over her shoulder. 

 

"I suppose I could think of a few things." She teased flirting with him just to watch his dark brows drop as he scowled. 

 

"I'm not on the menu." She laughed, deliberately loud and easy. Fuck it, this was her guild, she was done pussyfooting around Mira she decided impulsively. 

 

"Too bad." she wiggled her brows and rested her elbow on the bar, watching Mira out of her periphery. "Give me a lemonade. Maybe if I wish hard enough it'll turn into a beer." Gray smirked and left to get her drink as Laxus and Makarov came in from outside. Both men walked in smoothly, Laxus' hesitation as he hit his first exposure to Mira's new alpha scent was nearly invisible as Makarov headed over towards Loke and Levy's booth. Cana felt her shoulders relax at that, obviously the guildmaster was feeling protective of the Omega as well. The lightning mage stuck his hands in his pockets and crossed over to one of the tables where Freed was scratching runes into the surface causing it to glow faintly violet while Bixslow watched curiously from beside him. Laxus' only visible concession to Mira's presence was the lack of his usual headphones. He must have left them at home.

 

"Here suck on this. You're drooling." Gray bumped her elbow with a chill glass and Cana shot him a glare as she took it from him.

 

"Dick." She growled and he gave her a cocky smirk. 

 

"Yes he and I have that in common. Relax, she's his problem for now." he sounded confident enough about it that she wanted to snarl at him. 

 

"You're a beta." she reminded him and he arched a brow calmly. 

 

"So? I've been in the guild almost as long as you. We've both seen this song and dance before, you're just so caught up in trying to figure out the steps you're forgetting the rhythm." She huffed and took a long pull from her drink than coughed as the sharp taste was chased by a familiar burn.

 

"Gray!" She hissed and he smiled innocently.

 

"You said lemonade. I assumed you meant hard." He gestured with his chin to where Mira was simply exchanging glares and faint growls with the alpha's she passed. Obviously yesterday's conflicts seemed to have stuck. She could posture with them all she wanted, that was something harmless. Cana doubted that there was a single alpha in her court who would be rash enough to challenge Mira without cause. It wasn't hard to get a read on her rank, if they yielded to Cana's dominance they had no reason not to yield to hers as well. "You've got enough tolerance for one." Gray continued as they both watched Mira's progress, "You've done jobs with more of a buzz." Watching Mira proceed towards Laxus with single minded determination Cana had to agree that she wasn't the alpha on deck right now.

 

"You are such an instigator." She informed him with a smirk. The ice mage shrugged unrepentant. 

 

"It's not my fault Natsu gets out of hand." Cana didn't believe his innocent tone for a moment and she held his gaze flatly until he flushed slightly under her stare. "Shut up and drink. This is gonna be a good." He pointedly looked back to where Mira had decided to stop at the end of the thunder legions table.

 

Laxus was across the length of the table from the white haired take-over mage, watching her while he growled lowly at Bixslow when the sieth mage gave a whine in tense anticipation to fight. On his other side Evergreen reached across the table and slapped the bigger alpha distracting him. However Mira wasn't paying them much mind as she focused on Freed sitting at the end making him the nearest member to her. Cana was surprised she's thought that Mira's conflict would have been with Laxus. However, she belatedly remembered that Freed and Mira had been subtly feuding with Freed for years. Over what, neither party was forth coming about. Perhaps her focusing on Freed was inevitable. She had seemed to be out for those with a past grudge yesterday. Cana hasn't been able to get a proper read on her behavior yet. However with the way Mira's eyes were going gold around the edges and Freed's quiet warning growl rising in the now silent hall, now wasn't the time to worry about that.

 

Mira stood patiently at the end of the table showing more self-control over her alpha the she had to that point, her eyes were still shifting back and forth between gold and blue. Freed kept his gaze down ignoring Mira's hovering and posturing, deliberately not responding to her dominance games with the ironclad control the guild had come to expect from him. As the awkward standoff continued it wasn't until Mira's eyes settle on blue flecked gold that she huffed and finally flicked a glance at Laxus on the other side of the table before turning her back on the table dismissively. Freeds shoulders relaxed even as Cana frowned at Mira's failure to challenge Laxus. That was out of character for her, the brunette thought as Mira flicked a hand through her ponytail lazily.

 

"Tsk." Mira's scoff carried clearly through the silence of the guild however the mutter that followed it was unintelligible to Cana and the rest of the guild, obviously that wasn't the case for Freed. The green haired alpha's reaction was instantaneous fury.

 

Bixslow's shout of surprise as the bench flipped over sending him flat on his back to the floor, causing enough commotion that everyone's gaze flickered to him as Freed launched himself a Mira. Cana frowned as the small female avoided the strike with a spin  allowing Freeds momentum to carry him past her leaving Mira between the alpha and the rest of his court. "You fight like an Omega, Batty Boy." Mira purred with a deliberate smirk. "Not surprised really." As Freed turned back to face her Cana gasped at the way his eyes flashed once as the alpha gold replaced his natural green, they were a bright eerie shade, almost as if lit from behind with power. Cana swallowed and shifted on her stool as Gray whistled softly from beside her.

 

"Some peeps." he murmured appreciatively Cana wanted to glance at him but was distracted by movement on the far end of the bar. Natsu's bandaged form had been so still where he'd been slumped against the bar Cana hadn't even noticed the usually boisterous dragon-slayer. 

 

"Pft. As if you've never seen alpha eyes before." Natsu snarked at Gray dropping onto a stool one down from Cana, framing Gray between the two of them. The action seemed out of character for the slayer Cana thought as Gray turned to respond to him. However as quickly as she'd noticed it she was distracted back to the fight.

 

"You would know, carpet cleaner." Freed's cultured voice seemed un-affected by the alpha rage clear in his scent and eyes. Mira snarled at that gold eyes shifting to red and she launched herself at him this time. An irritated growl overlaid the sound of their fight that Cana recognized as Laxus. As Freed bonelessly dodged Mira's strike turning her momentum into a throw Cana let her eyes seek out the blonde alpha. He was standing off to the side where he'd shoved Bixslow and Evergreen out of range of the fight, impotent aggression clenching his jaw in the face of Freed initiating the fight instead of Mira. Freed challenging Mira wasn't a fight that he could get involved with. As Mira hit the floor with brutal efficiency, letting out a pained gasp as Freed's grip on her arm twisted the limb awkwardly at the shoulder joint.

 

"Bastard." Mira growled tightening her grip on him in return as she threw her weight into a roll and dragged him off balance and onto the floor with her. The scattering of tables obscured her view of the two of them as they grappled, knocking into tables, insults becoming more animalistic growls and snarls, only disrupted by the sounds of grunts and blows landing on flesh. It was brutal, Cana didn't know that Freed even had any hand to hand combat skills but it was quickly becoming evident that Bixslow might have been learning some of his preferred dirty hits from this mild mannered team-mate.

 

When they stilled Freed had his hand tangled in Mira's hair forcing her head brutally against the filthy guild floor while her arm was pinned up and across her back wrist twisted and all three joints in the limb forced into what had to be a brutally painful joint lock. Freeds' hair tie had been ripped loose and his long hair fell over the two of them like a veil and in the stillness of the hold it was impossible to tell if the hissed sounds between the two of them were words or pain filled breaths. Finally he tossed his head so his hair was out of his face.

 

"Watch your mouth, you're not unpresented anymore." He growled giving her a final shove as he rose to his feet and turned away to return to his previous table. Mira was only still for a moment before she rolled to her feet, the motion adrenaline smooth as she gathered herself and launched herself after him alpha refusing to submit. She was barely upright before Laxus caught her by the throat and threw her back to the floor with enough force the lemonade in Cana's glass shifted. He tilted his neck from side to side to crack it while he stared down at Cana with a snarl.

 

"Know your place She-Devil." He warned lowly, the same warning he gave to all the new alphas who thought about throwing down with him. She blinked at him dazed and Cana caught herself licking her lips. Gray chuckled and tugged her hair teasingly.

 

"Now which of those three got your panties wet princess." He asked and Cana blinked then flashed him a smirk even as she flushed in embarrassment.

 

"Shut up." She muttered tossing back the rest of her drink as she watched Laxus and Freed return to their table leaving Mira where she'd fallen. "It was a good fight."

 

"She didn't stand a chance." Natsu murmured appreciatively as he eyed up Freed's slender form as a previously unappreciated challenge. "I'm gonna have to throw down with Freed later now that I know he can do that." He sounded nearly gleeful at the possibility. Cana sighed and shook her head as her gaze drifted over to Laxus. The older alpha hadn't even batted an eye at Mira's submission, and instead he was snarling at Freed while his green haired second glared at him imperiously, not challenging him but refusing to be cowed by his Alpha either. Laxus was right, she really hadn't been giving Freed credit, she admitted as Laxus carefully tucked Freed's hair behind his ear despite his growling tone.

"Neither do you flame brain." Gray told him flicking the back of his head as he left the counter to get the first aid kit while Elfman and Lisanna gathered Mira from the floor.  

"Hey come back here and do that again asshole." Natsu growled and Cana reached over and twisted his ear. 

"Stuff it. I don't need you causing trouble today, we've already got enough going on." she warned him pulling out her best alpha tone. Natsu just glowered at her until she released his ear then sulked. 

"Let me have some fun while Erza is gone at least." He whined and she shook her head. 

"You don't want to miss the bonfire tonight do you?" she asked knowing the pyro's addiction to anything fire related, as expected that seeemed to distract him from fighting for the moment. Instead she finished the last of her lemonade and left him at the bar and continued the search for Macao already thinking about how early she and Laxus could skip out on the bonfire.


	11. Scene 11: Brandy and Lightning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonfires and Belltowers. Cana and Laxus talk about labels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not Beta'd. Will be editing out errors as I catch them, if you find some let me know. 
> 
> This chapter was tricky. My 'background notes' are now actually written down and I've gone and sketched out a plot for upcoming chapters to hopefully get this story running and updated in a more timely fashion. Enjoy and thanks for being patient.

 

     "Dou-ble Fist! Dou-ble Fist!" The chant echoed through the darkness rolling faintly towards the Magnolia Streets and in the flicking red gold light of the raging ten foot bonfire Bixslow and Gray stood across from each other and were going head to head to finish the dark amber bottles in their hands. There was a small crowd gathered around them, the alpha's of the fairy tail court were notoriously competitive and drinking games were a favourite past-time. Makarov encouraged them as the contests were less destructive then the friendly brawls,  the results of which were currently fueling the over sized fire. A cheer broke out through the crowd as Gray raised his hands in victory  bottles upside down declaring his skill moments before Bixslow  mirrored the action. 

     "That's my BOY!" Cana whooped with the rest of them as she hurried over to grab Gray in a hug before he could dodge her. Freed laughed loudly as he threw a consoling arm around Bixslow's waist and Ever slipped in on the taller males other side giggling as well. The small court seemed to have resolved whatever issues they'd been struggling with earlier for now. 

     "Dammit Cana Let. Me. Go!" Gray hissed shoving at the Alpha and struggling to escape her hold. 

     "S'no fair!" Bixslow whined leaning fairly heavily on Ever. "He'z been train'n with Drinky!" 

     "Drinky. Drinky." Bixslow's totems swirled more erratically then usual seemingly sharing their master's inebriation. 

     "Aww don't worry Bix." Cana let go of Gray to saunter over to Bixslow and straighten his slightly askew visor. "One day I'll teach you the chugging secret too." she teased. Ever giggled under his arm again, the prickly alpha softened by wine and the late hour. 

     "It's the gag reflex Bix. You just gotta open your throat up." She confided in a drunken whisper that carried easily to the few who were paying attention to the kids. Cana laughed and winked at Ever as Bix thought about it for a moment then snorted and gave a jerk, swaying dangerously into Freed. 

     "Lucky Laxus. That talent was totally wasted when you were a lesbian." Bixslow declared and Cana froze and felt her cheeks flare with a heat that definitely wasn't alcohol fueled. 

     "I- wha- What do you mean when I was?" Cana demanded. Ever giggled and reached out to sloppily pat Cana's cheek 

     "Laxus is a boy, duh, that makes you straight now!" she declared confidently and Cana backed away uneasily.

     "But... I'm not-" She felt something in her chest squirm in discomfort under Ever's confident declaration as Bixslow started to lean back and the legion alphas turned their attention to him forgetting about the brunette entirely. Turning away she began slipping through the press of alphas, attention focused on the open side door of the guild thrown wide open in honour of the outdoor party. She suddenly needed a moment to herself the pleasant fizz of alcohol in her blood was shifting to something nauseous in her stomach. Luckily the guild hall proper was deserted and she quickly slipped behind the bar and into the empty kitchen tucked away behind it.

     The lights weren't on so the kitchen was only dimly illuminated by the soft mage lights set into the ceiling that began to glow  as she crossed the open space towards the sink against the back wall leaning over it heavily to focus on her breathing and trying to ignore the twist of nausea. She was interested in Laxus because he was an Alpha, not because he was a guy. She let her head hang heavily and closed her eyes. That he was a guy wasn't the appeal, it wasn't really a turn off, just part of the package. 

 

      _"It's just a phase. She'll grow out of it." the whispers behind her were cut off as the young girls slammed the door to the guild hall shut and stormed down the street. Angry tears welling in her eyes. Why did they keep saying that? What was wrong with her and Marie? She thought, small hands balling into fists even as she wrapped her arms protectively around herself._

_"Stupid. Stupid. Max." she growled, her alpha voice still new and scratchy in her throat as she unconsciously vocalized. "Just cause I've never wanted to kiss you doesn't make this a phase."  She didn't know how long she'd stalked over unseen cobble stones before she blinked and realized there was grass under her feet now. A familiar grove rising up around her, biting her lips she threw herself down underneath her favorite tree and jerked at her hard pouch. Struggling with the knotted string tying it shut as the soft leather turned into a blur as she blinked violently and stubbornly against her tears. Giving a victorious sniff she jerked hard enough to simply break the cord and pulled out her card deck._

_The familiar jump of magic tingled up her fingers, her powers and the cards reacting to her in a way they hadn't since she'd presented months ago. "Stupid boys. Stupid alpha's. I'm an alpha too. They don't get to tell me what to do." she grumbled tossing the pouch to the side uncaring and she began to shuffle the deck of cards. "I'll show you. You don't know anything. I'll prove it to you."  Angrily she began laying out cards blindly._

_"It's not just a phase." the page of wands was laid down with a snap though it looked to her as nothing more then a brown blur to her, the staff a momentary wink of power._

_"I LIKE girls." Temperance, with her beneficent smile looked up at the card mages tear blind eyes._

_"Why are you all questioning that?" she demanded flipping another card relishing the spark of power even as she couldn't see the result of the Moon laid out for her eyes. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." She sniffed and used to free hand to wipe at her face. "Why won't anyone listen to me?" She practically howled slamming down another card, hitting warm flesh instead of cold dirt and distracting her enough snap her attention upwards to where wide blue eyes were watching her rather seriously._

_"I'm listening." Mira's voice was soft, something in her typically aggressive posture softened as she leaned forward, one hand pressed over Cana's cards as the other reached out and tucked Cana's bangs out of her eyes. Cana felt her lip wobble and she dropped her deck and reached for_ _the other girl. Her alpha crying for physical touch to soothe the angry ache, the unrepresented girl was still part of the court and alpha's needed a court to lean on. Big sister that Mira was she quickly scrambled to the side drawing Cana against her shoulder and pressing her cheek to brown hair,  the seven of swords flipped off her hand unseen as the girls curled into each other._

"Hey, you ok?" Laxus' low voice was soft in the dim kitchen, heat beginning to drift along her back as he stepped closer. Cana took a deep breath and sniffed, swallowing stickily as she jerked her head, though she couldn't have said what the gesture was meant to convey. "Cana..." there as a clink as the blonde set his drink down on the counter while his other hand reached up and soothed over her back. His scent was petrichor and ozone, familiar and comforting but it was the underlying alpha musk that had her shifting to lean into his presence. The subtle request was quickly answered as the hand on her back moved to wrap around her and he pressed against her hip, angled so that her shoulder was against his chest his other and wrapping up to press her head against his shoulder.  "You're not usually a sad drunk." he murmured against her hair and this time Cana's head shake was a denial as she leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his waist loosely. 

     "Not drunk." she muttered. "Evergreen's a bitch." she pressed closer to him lips quirking as his chest shook softly with repressed laughter. 

     "Yeah." he agrees easily and Cana snorted. 

     "Not gonna defend your court mate there?" she asked him and felt him shake his head before he pressed a cheek to her hair. 

     "Nope. She wouldn't be able to keep up with the rest of us if she wasn't. 'Sides, you're no peach either." he teased and she swatted his hip playfully for that. 

     "Jerk." He simply hummed quietly in agreement.

     "So what did Ev do that has you hiding out in here?" He asked and Cana sighed. 

     "She accused me of 'being straight now'." she couldn't help the venom that dripped off the quoted words, that sick twist in her chest as thought the ill fit of the label was a physical discomfort. "I'm not. I'm still exactly who I was before." she insisted tilting her head back enough to look up at him. He was silent for a moment as he processed that then shrugged. 

     "That's fine." He agreed easily and she pushed back against his chest slightly so she could study his expression with a frown. 

     "That's all you have to say?" she demanded and he sighed and reached for his beer to take a swallow. 

     "I'm no good with labels Cana. That's Freed's thing, guys got a word for everything. I don't pay attention to most of it but if I've absorbed anything from his rants it's that there's more to the world then being one thing or another. As long as you're happy with what we're doing I don't care." he paused then tucked his chin to squint down at her. "You are ok with this, right?" She laughed softly and pressed her face to his chest before going up on her toes to brush her lips over his. 

     "I am." She hummed at the taste of the bitter beer still clinging to the lips and she reached out and tugged the bottle from his hand and tilted it back taking the last swallow from it. "Fuck Ever." This time Laxus threw back his head and laughed. 

     "She's not that drunk yet. Come on, the Courts are busy." He drew back and caught her hand in his. "There's a back room with couches upstairs, wanna break the rules?" he asked and Cana grinned brightly.

     "Ooohhh, sneaking me up to the S-class lounge. You're living on the edge now Laxus." The lightning mage simply grinned at her, a flash of alpha fang and gold lighting up his eyes. 

     "What can I say there's perks to dating me." Cana laughed at his off centre smile, cockiness warring with something shy that heated his cheeks. Linking her hand with his she let him lead her out of the kitchen towards the narrow rarely used back stairs that lead up to the second floor.

     "I'll say." She purred palming his ass playfully and this time the way his ears turned red gave his blush away. Feeling more settled then she had earlier she gave his fingers a squeeze and grinned when he squeezed back. The narrow stairs creaked underfoot as the two of them crept up, no mage lights on this area reacting to their movements to light the way.

     "Perv." he muttered and she laughed softly stepping closer once they reached the top of the staircase so she could slide her hand into his back pocket.

   "Aww, the big bad alpha can't handle little ol' me?" She asked even as he tensed lightly at the touch even as he made a dismissive sound and led them towards a small hallway off the side away from the main mezzanine and couches. 

     "Oh I can handle you kid." he shot back spinning to catch her around the waist as he leaned on a door that swung open to reveal a storage room. Cana let him draw her in with him, too busy nuzzling along his throat to make a show of allowing him to lead. 

     "You take me to all the nicest places' Laxus." the alpha snorted as he kicked the door shut with the toe of his boot as his back ran into a human sized storage box.

     "Shut up." He muttered tangling a hand in her loose hair to turn her face up for a kiss. "This is a short cut." 

     "A short cut?" she asked brightening up at the idea. "Short cut to where?" He laughed and let her go to squeeze out from between her and the boxes. Picking up a broom leaning against another box he crossed to the far corner against the outside wall. He tapped the ceiling a couple of times with the broom handle looking for something before pushing up and causing a hidden tile to flip upwards with surprisingly well oiled hinges. Smirking he sets the broom aganist the wall before jumping up catching the edge of the hatch and muscling his impressive height through the opening almost too narrow for his shoulders. "Oh cool!" Cana whispered hurrying over as Laxus's feet disappeared into the darkness overhead to look up as well. 

     "Coming?" he called down, a hand and forearm appearing out of the gloom in invitation. Grinning she crouched underneath.

     "Oh hell yes. Count of three?" she asked and the hand gestured impaitently. 

     "One, Two, Three." He counted down and Cana jumped up, clasping his forearm as he grasped her own as her other hand caught the edge of the hatch and with only mild assistance she muscled up into the darkness with him. 

 

     Looking around there was only the dimmest of lights and the floor was heavy dust disturbed by their movements. Laxus was only a darker, moving form in the shadows as he reached out and flipped the hatch back closed again. Once it was closed he made a fist, gold sparks jumped from it harmlessly illuminating their surroundings revealing the low exposed beams of the guilds sloped roof both above them and below. Cana glanced around curiously then smirked at the male watching her obviously waiting for some sort of reaction. 

     "As I said, the nicest places." He smirked and tilted his head to the side. 

     "This way. Stay on the beams, the boards that make up the ceiling aren't meant to be walked on on this side." He dropped his hand down revealing the backside of the boards that made up the ceiling on the main guild hall below them. Carefully he made his way, crouched warily of the overhead beams towards, what would be the centre of the guild hall. Cana followed along behind him eagerly, the darkness pressing in from all sides of them and creating an ambiance that made the building she'd grown up in feel foreign and exciting. Slowly the space began to feel echoy as the roof angled upwards at a sharper angle then the ceiling of the guild hall below did and Laxus rose comfortably to his full height. 

      "This is so weird. I didn't realise that this space was here." she marveled looking everywhere in the flicking electric light. Laxus smirked and kept going forward 

     "Yeah, it's just dead space and dust bunnies up here but the really neat part starts... here." Laxus stopped and raised his hand higher overhead revealing a single rope that led straight up into the darkness overhead. Cana tilted her head back trying to see the other end of the rope but couldn't. Mentally she tried to map where they were then slowly grinned. 

     "The bell tower?" she asked him realising there was only one place above them left that it could be. "I thought it was sealed off." she asked and Laxus shrugged as he stepped to the other side of the rope that it fell between them. 

     "Well there has to be some way to access it to change the flag and stuff right?" he told her as he grabbed the rope. "I'll go up first, you'll have to climb up in the dark." Cana smirked. 

     "I'm not scared of the dark." she countered and he flashed her a grin. 

     "Never thought you were." he assured her as the light vanishing from his other fist and he grabbed the rope, dropping them back into the darkness. "I'll let you know when to start climbing." he assured her and she nodded staying still and listening to the sound of careful movement and measured breathes that slowly rose up in the air before her as he climbed. The was a grunt from overhead then the sound of wood hitting wood with enough force to indicate it had taken some effort to effect the change. 

 

     Cana carefully swung her arm in front of her grinning that it was only a bit of careful movement before the rope hit the back of her forearm and she shifted to grab it with both hands. Head tilted to the side while she listen for Laxus to give the word to climb. 

     "Whenever you're ready, Alpha." he called down and with a grin Cana adjusted her grip and began to carefully spider climb up the rope. 

     "On my way." she called up really glad that years of being swept up in Erza's 'training drills' made the daunting process of climbing a rope up into nowhere surrounded by darkness wasn't as daunting as it could have been. The rope swayed with her motion and she bit her lip and resolutely kept looking upwards at nothing as she heaved herself up, feeling a strain in her shoulders as she went. The darkness was tricky though, making it impossible to tell how far she'd come and how far there was to go. 

     Eventually there was a slightly brighter square of light overhead and Cana grinned and began to climb faster. As she reached the top she realised that the rope was fastened just of to the side of the hatch and she was going to be forced to hold her position on the rope and reach sideways for the hatch at the same time. Lovely. Carefully as she reached the top she wound her lower leg in the rope and reached for the hatch. The distance wasn't far and she grabbed hold of the edge of the hatch easily but the yawning darkness below made the bottom of her stomach drop for the next step. Carefully she transferred her weight to the arm on the hatch so she could release the rope and grab it with her other hand. 

     "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." she muttered a biting her lips as her legs dangled over the empty air, the faint drag of the rope around her right calf not as reassuring of a back up plan as she'd hoped it would be. With a huff she pulled and squirmed managing to hook her arm over the hatch and squirm up. 

     "I gottcha." Laxus said from her left as he braced her to finish climbing up and in. Once her hips were over the edge she lifted her legs up and rolled to the side, rough boards pressing agianst her exposed skin as adrenaline edged laughter broke from her throat. There was a thud behind her as she settled on her back and she turned her head to see Laxus flipping the lock and sealing the floor hatch. Starlight was filtering through the windows painting blue edged shadows over him and she grinned. The shadows couldn't do anything to soften his sharp edged features but when he looked up at her with a half smile she was hit with memories of him gangly and awkward as a newly minted s-class mage letting her cling to him after night terrors in the months following her first Rut. When the alpha under her skin was too new for her to understand so she'd tried out run it and he seemed to just appear out of the shadows of Magnolia's midnight streets. Cana couldn't remember if he'd ever told her what he was running form himself, if she'd ever even asked him. 

     "All those midnight chats and you never brought me up here." she teased sitting up and finally taking a look around. The bell tower wasn't more then seven feet across and the boards were rough and unfinished, obviously never having been intended as more then framing. However there was a sleeping spot made of blankets and pillows against one wall and a few knick-knack type things scattered around the space. Curiously she rolled to her feet and went to peer out narrow windows, as Natsu and Gray had reported they were plentiful but too narrow for even their lean childish builds to have fit through. 

     "Well, umm." Laxus stuttered and Cana turned her head and couldn't hold back the smile as she realised that from here there as a perfect view of the guild dormitories. 

     "So that's how you did it." she murmured smuggly and she sensed Laxus shifting uneasily. 

     "I wasn't being creepy." He defended. "I just- couldn't sleep sometimes..." Cana turned with grin enjoying the awkward flush on his cheeks. 

     "So you came to hang out here and people watch?" she asked and he shrugged. 

     "I- I like heights. The dorm rooms felt claustrophobic and crowded. I sleep better up here most nights." He shrugged. "My Alpha likes what he likes." he muttered and that had Cana grin widening into something softer as she stepped up to him and hooked her arms around his neck.

     "He likes what he likes eh? So you're blaming your alpha for liking other alphas?" she asked and he laughed softly and looped his arms around her waist.

     "Do you blame yours?" he shot back and she considered that then shrugged.

     "I don't think so. I mean. I'm beginning to think that I would have liked alpha's regardless of my designation. The Omega's I dated just never seemed to fit y'know?" Laxus smirked at that.

     "I can imagine it. You'd have ended up a bossy brat regardless." he teased and Cana swatted him.

     "Careful Alpha, I know your ticklish spots now." she warned him and he chuckled and nuzzled her neck, nosing along her scent gland.

     "Noted." he agreed, breath warming her skin and teasing goosebumps to the surface before he drew away.

     "So what about you?" She asked and he shrugged.

     "Like I said. My alpha likes what he likes. I follow the same line of thought." He tilted her chin up and flashed her a teasing smile.

     "We're both rather fond of you." he teased and she laughed and went on her toes to buzz her lips over his.

     "I'd hope so." She nosed along his jaw and hummed at his scent as it blended with the cool night air into something soothing, the peace after a storm. "God, you'd make a fortune if you could bottle your scent right now." she murmured and he laughed at that and her alpha hummed contentedly at the victory.

     "Bixslow's mentioned the same thing. Sounds a lot less creepy coming from you." his tone was dry and Cana couldn't help the snort at that. Bixslow was renowned for not having a nose to mouth filter.

     "Oh god he would be the one to say that." she watched him struggle to keep the smile off his face.

     "Yeah. Besides I think yours would be a better seller." he teased and she rolled her eyes. "Doubtful. I'm told hops isn't that appealing." she didn't mean to let that the bitterness of the memory slip into the phrase but it was too late to take it back now. 

     "Hops?" Laxus asked with a surprised smirk. "Who fed you that line? A Beta?" he asked and she shrugged and wrapped her arms around herself. 

     "Carrie, an Omega I dated a year ago." her voice went flat and suddenly Laxus pushed her back against one of the walls arms bracketing her in and his scent went heavy and heated, more like a storm brewing then one gone past. 

     "Well she didn't take much of a sniff if that's the case." Laxus's voice wasn't much above a growl and Cana froze, not sure what the sudden switch meant, couldn't quite tease out the subtleties of his scent with the way her own alpha chose to focus on the growling aggression. 

     "Laxus?" she asked hesitantly as he leaned further into her space, drowning her in alpha heat while he pressed his faintly rough cheek to hers and drew in a long breath through his nose. 

     "You're scent's deepening now that you've got a court behind you but even before you only smell like hops if you're trying to suppress your scent." His voice was a low rumble and Cana forced herself to settle, offering deliberate relaxation. 

     "Alphas can't suppress their scent doofus, only Omega's can do that." she muttered carefully bringing a hand up to push through his hair. The itch to soothe and settle an impluse that she didn't try to resist. 

     "You try to though. Ever since you first presented." he mumbled making no more to stop crowding her. 

     "So then what do I smell like?" she asked curiously and he tilted his face closer to his skin as though considering her question. 

     "Blended brandy. Carmel over a smooth burn with a dash of spice. It varies with your mood, sometimes there's a faint vanilla aftertaste." He sounded distracted as he spoke, voice rough and dropping with each word and Cana shivered against him. She turned her on face into his neck and scented back unable to hold back a faint rumble in her chest. 

     "You always smell like a thunderstorm." she murmured and he laughed at that and dropped his hands to her hips, something she'd done seeming to finally get through to the alpha. 

     "Guess I was always meant to be a lightning mage then." he murmured and she giggled. 

     "A powerful mage anyway. You've got a heck of a nose there Alpha if you're reading my scent like that." he shrugged and grumbled. 

     "It's a pain in the ass most of the time. I like the way you smell though, you shouldn't be so self-concious of it." She smiled at him and bought a hand to his jaw forcing him back enough for her to give him a proper kiss. 

     "Thanks Laxus." 

     "You're welcome." He muttered angling for another kiss and she laughed when they broke for air. 

     "You didn't need to corner me to tell me that though." he flushed and pushed back from the wall suddenly self-concious. 

     "Sorry. I just- you were upset-" he muttered and she could see him scrambling to sort through his thoughts to find the words he was looking for. 

     "It's ok Laxus." she assured him and reached for his hand to tug him towards the sleeping corner. "So you bring all your dates up here?" she asked settling down and waiting for him to join her. 

     "No. um. You're the first actually. I mean- Freed's come up here. Before Bixslow and Evergreen joined us. Now the Court tends to convene in Freeds room. We've gotten pretty good at sneaking Ever into the guys dorm." Cana hummed as she settled against his side watching the sky through the windows. 

     "Not Bixslow's?" she asked and Laxus shrugged. "I dunno. We've always just gathered in Freeds room I'm too territorial with mine, maybe Bix is the same." Cana felt her lips quirk but she didn't comment on it. She'd always been told that courts gather around their alpha, if Laxus was to private to share his space then the next dominant alpha in the court takes over. 

     "My apartment isn't big enough for my court to convene." she muttered and Laxus laughed at that. 

     "Seriously how did you end up with almost the entire guild following you?" he asked and she shrugged ignoring the laughter shaking his chest. 

     "Shut up it's not funny. I don't know what I'm doing, I'm flailing in the deep end here." she growled at him. 

     "You'll figure it out. You've watched Gramps run this gong-show for years." he pointed out and she sighed and curled into him. 

     "Too bad my Alpha doesn't know how to court another Alpha." she teased and Laxus huffed at that and curled an arm around her. 

     "Yeah... I've got nothing for you there." he agreed and she laughed. "I'll be home now for a little while. The last job paid us out pretty well." the sentence hung awkward in the air and she smirked and shifted to look up at him. 

     "Good. Does that mean we'll get to go out on a proper date instead of just training in the boonies?" she asked and he flushed. 

     "Um. I mean, if you wanted to." he looked down at her and his eyes narrowed. "You just like putting me on the spot don't you?" he accused and she smiled innocently. 

     "Wanna go out with me Laxus? There's a new club that opened up and I haven't been able to go check it out yet." He smirked and leaned down to kiss the smugly innocent expression off her face.

     "Brat." he muttered fondly.


End file.
